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SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — The city of Centerville has agreed to pay $127,000 to the family of a man killed by police two years ago in a settlement announced Friday that resolves a civil rights lawsuit brought by the victim's wife.
The federal lawsuit brought by Vincent Farrand's wife disputed the official police account that he was suicidal and was shot after he refused to drop a gun pointed at an officer. Molly Farrand contended in the lawsuit that her husband immediately dropped the gun to the ground when police arrived, citing as proof a conversation recorded on a body camera between two officers.
The city countered in court documents that the lawsuit misinterpreted something said by an officer who didn't see what happened.
Centerville police said Farrand was turning toward the officer and raising his gun hand at him when the officer fired.
Police went to the house in April 2014 after Farrand's wife called 911 because her husband was angry that another man hit on her and he was going to the man's house with a gun. She called back a few minutes later to say he'd never actually left, but officers were still concerned and responded to the house about 15 miles north of Salt Lake City.
Authorities say Vincent Farrand, 38, told police they would have to shoot him.
The Davis County Attorney's Office ruled the fatal shooting by Officer Jason Read was justified.
Attorneys for both sides said Friday they were pleased with the outcome.
"We're ecstatic," said David Gammill, a Los Angeles-based attorney for the Farrand family. "It's great to get some closure for Molly and her family. The settlement speaks volume."
In the lawsuit, Molly Farrand said she was seeking an unspecified amount of money. But attorney Heather White, representing Centerville, said Farrand's attorney verbally requested $2 million. Gammill declined to confirm or deny that monetary request.
White said the decision to settle was a financial one made by the city's insurance carrier. It was less expensive than going to trial or paying the full amount, she said. Since the shooting had already been ruled justified, Read and the city concurred it wasn't worth spending taxpayer money to continue defending against the claims, White said.
White cautioned not to interpret the settlement as an admission that Read made any mistakes. "If Mr. Farrand had dropped his gun as the officer directed, the outcome would have been very different," White said.
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