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SALT LAKE CITY — Melissa Kennedy, the mother of 21-year-old Danielle Willard who was shot and killed by police detectives during a botched undercover drug operation, says she can now rest easy.
West Valley City officials announced Thursday they agreed to pay $1.425 million as part of a civil lawsuit settlement that has been reached with Willard's family.
"I am so glad that this is over. (It's) a huge relief. A great big block has been taken off my shoulders, and I'm glad that we can move forward," Kennedy said Saturday.
The settlement marked the conclusion of a two-year legal process that began with Willard's death in November 2012. She was killed by former West Valley police detectives Shaun Cowley and Kevin Salmon.
The Salt Lake County District Attorney's Office later determined the shooting was not justified, and Cowley was charged with manslaughter, a second-degree felony. That charge was dismissed during a preliminary court hearing because of lack of evidence.
"It's a roller coaster," Kennedy recalled. "Up, down, going completely out of my mind at times, it feels like. Wondering what's going to come next. Finding out one thing and then something else happens. It truly is a roller coaster ride."
In July, Willard's family filed a civil suit against Cowley, the department's former chief and West Valley City. When the settlement was announced, city officials said it was not an admission of liability, but a "compromise of disputed claims."
Kennedy said it was a compromise she was happy to make with the help of others.
I am so glad that this is over. (It's) a huge relief. A great big block has been taken off my shoulders, and I'm glad that we can move forward.
–Melissa Kennedy, Danielle Willard's mother
"I will never put a number on my daughter. I can't do that," she said. "My attorneys were good enough to be there for me because they don't have to worry about the pain, the suffering, what a child is worth. Their job is to make sure we get some kind of ending to this, some sort of being able to move on. And that's what this has done with me."
Kennedy said she hopes to work with state lawmakers to facilitate better training for law enforcement, not just in life-threatening circumstances, but in helping people with mental and physical illnesses.
She also said she has largely come to terms with the dismissal of the manslaughter charge against Cowley and that the case should be a learning opportunity for civilians, law enforcement and legal officials.
"The investigations were done. They found that Cowley didn't do anything wrong. It was thrown out, and that's that," Kennedy said. "I appreciate that people in law enforcement, the managers of the city, the attorneys, all of them worked very hard. … No hard feelings. I can move on, and my kids can go to college now, and I can go around and help with legislation any way I can."
Contributing: Sandra Yi
