COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — The family of an unarmed black woman who was shot and killed by a white police officer during a drug raid has settled a wrongful death lawsuit against the city for $2.5 million.
The death of Tarika Wilson, 26, ignited protests and debate about race relations in Lima, a northwest Ohio city where one in four residents is black. Wilson was holding her 1-year-old son in her arms when she died. The child was also shot and later had a finger amputated.
Police Sgt. Joseph Chavalia, who killed Wilson, was acquitted of criminal charges in her death and has since returned to work, though he is no longer allowed to patrol the streets.
Chavalia was part of a SWAT team that raided Wilson’s home in January 2008 looking for her boyfriend, a suspected drug dealer who later pleaded guilty to drug trafficking. Prosecutors said Chavalia recklessly fired three shots into a bedroom where Wilson and her six children were gathered, even though he could not clearly see her or whether she had a weapon.
The settlement, which must be approved by a federal judge, was announced Thursday by attorneys representing Wilson’s family and the city. The money will be placed in a fund set aside for Wilson’s children, city Law Director Tony Geiger said.
Wilson’s mother, Darla Jennings, could not be reached for comment Friday. A phone listing under her name had been disconnected.
“Darla Jennings, with help from Tarika’s sisters, has done an amazing job of raising these children,” her attorneys said in a statement. “This settlement will give her the resources to help the children even more.”
The city said the case was settled by the insurance company acting on its behalf — and is not an admission of liability. The city believes Chavalia “acted appropriately” during the raid, Geiger said in a statement. The money will be paid by the insurance company.
Chavalia testified at his criminal trial that he thought his life was in danger when he fired the shots. He said he saw a shadowy figure coming from behind the partially open bedroom door and heard gunshots that he thought were aimed at him. The gunfire he heard was actually coming from downstairs.
The settlement offers some vindication for Wilson’s family, said Jason Upthegrove, president of the local chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People.
“He shot through a baby and killed an unarmed woman,” Upthegrove said. “And you’ve got a city administration standing behind the statement that he used appropriate action. I just think that is despicable beyond articulation.”
On Monday, the two-year anniversary of Wilson’s death, friends and family will gather for a candlelight vigil in front of the house where she died, he said.
“These six kids, the last images they have of their mother, she was laying in a pool of blood,” he said. “Every time you reach another one of these milestones, it’s just a glaring reminder of what an egregious act that was.”
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at 12:39 pm
I’m feel so sorry for that family and those children. I am a cop myself and the system failed her and that baby. That officer should receive the same treatment that young lady received and that’s death.
at 3:33 pm
TIZZY U STUPID WHITE B***H ! HOW DARE U?? U ARE LUCKY THAT THE WORLD WIDE WEB IS PROTECTING U ! IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN U INSTEAD OF HER !
at 12:29 am
too bad its 2.5mil,it should’ve been a 100mil which goes to the rest of the fatherless kids and moms who was rape cause they gonna fall in the same system and still multiplying cause we are dying more everyday.they doing it= multiplying everyday getting jobs easily and encouragement with prays in rich pale counties from government,so why we should stop.love black ppl
at 10:11 pm
HOUSTON WE HAVE A PROBLEM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
at 11:52 am
This should have never happened in the first place the officer was dead wrong. Its sad to see things like this still happening but you just can’t allow yourself and most definately your children be in that type of environment. Instead of the police busting in it could have been other dealers when you have this type of person living in your home its only a matter of time before somebody come looking for them. Really sad though.
at 10:36 am
F**k these koward ass krooked ass kops they been killin US since the day they meet US back in AFRICA.Its in their nature to hate US,no explanation needed they just dont like Us.
at 10:13 am
Cot Damn……Stuff like this builds up anger inside of me! I dont care if she was screwing with a bum azz dope dealer. The pig cop could have just as easily killed the child. The cop gets to live his life free as a bird.
at 4:11 am
TIZZY SHUT UP…SHE DNT HAVE TO DIE A HERO…THE FACT IS SHE WAS SOMEONES MOTHER DAUGHTER SISTER AUNT NIECE GOD DAUGHTER….AND SHE WAS KILLED IN FRONT OF HER CHILDREN!!!! HER BABIES WITH ONE IN ARMS…SO YEAH SHE WAS ARMED WITH A CHILD…AND MAYBE SHE DIDNT WANT HER FAMILY TO HELP HER OUT OF THE SITUATION WITH THE FATHER OF HER CHILDREN THAT IS HER CHOICE NOT ANYBODY ELSES…THAT WAS HER JUDGEMENT FOR HER KIDS TO BE WITH THEIR FATHER WHETHER HE WAS DOING RIGHT OR WRONG..THE FACT STILL REMAINS THAT HE KILLED HER INSTEAD OF FIRST CHECKING TO SEE IF SHE WAS IN THE ROOM ITS NOT LIKE SHE RUSHED OUT AT HIM WITH A KNIFE OR A GUN..GET IT TOGETHER…AND IF YOU DIDNT READ THE ARTICLE THOROUGHLY IT STATED THAT THE MONEY WILL BE SET IN A FUND FOR THE CHILDREN…GET IT TOGETHER
at 3:23 am
YES RACISM IS STILL GOING ON LIKE IT OR NOT
at 3:22 am
WOW IT WORKS
GOT BEAT DOWN BY A LOT OF WHITE PO PO IN MY TOWN IN 1998
I WAS UNARMED TOO BUT THEY BEAT ME DOWN BCUZ IAM BLACK
THEY DIDNT DO THAT TO THE MAYOR SON
((WHICH GOT BUSTED SELLING DRUGS ON SCHOOL GROUNDS)) 2008 SPRING TIME
PO PO KEEP IT RECORDED FOR FOUR WHOLE MONTHS,KNEW WHERE HIS DRUG SURPLY
LOCATION AT)) BUT THEY((PO PO)) DIDNT BUST HIS DOOR DOWN AND BEAT HIS AZZ UP
MAYOR SON OR NO MAYOR SON A DRUG DEALER IS A DRUG DEALER WHITE COLLAR OR NO WHITE COLLAR.
WOW THAT GAL SUED THE MESS OUT OF OHIO <<THATS GOOD FO THEM WHITE COPS
NEXT TIME DO YOUR JOB RIGHT NOT WRONG
at 9:13 pm
I agree with the first comment and that is we black men need to protect our black women. We can protect by not putting them in compromising situations. Get a job and get off the streets!!! I have been a single parent for 15 years my daughter is 18 years old now and she can tell anything that I have done to put her life nor mine in jeopardy.
at 1:59 pm
Bring back the B.L.A.! 2.5mil is not enough.We as so called black men need to stand up and protect our women.The police arent going to do it.Look at how they are gettin down.Obviously the courts arent going to do it either.Then who is?! This pig is back to work and eating donuts.This s*** is unforgiveable!
at 11:04 am
So many points to look at….1) very tragic what happened to this lady and her family 2) more than likely NONE of you have never been put in a situation like this, police are trained in the mindset that (I will make it home tonight) attitude. you can call him coward, punk and everything else in the book, but we all know that cops are cops. 3) live by the sword, die by the sword, that lady knew what type of man she had, this is the thing with some black women, they love being in that type of environment. EVERYONE of you people know that if you deal with the drug dealing lifestyle that one day your time will come. whether it be by the gun of a cop, someone that’s after you or behind the cold bars of a prison…. NO ONE WON IN THIS SITUATION!!!
at 7:25 am
TO TIZZY: WHAT DID THIS BLACK WOMAN DO WRONG?? SHE DIDNT DESERVE TO DIE AT THE HANDS OF A WHITE COP JUST FOR HOLDING HER CHILD. AND ITS EASY FOR A WHITE COP TO CLAIM HE THOUGHT HIS LIFE WAS IN DANGER. JUST FACE IT: YOUR RACES SENSE OF JUSTICE IS A LIL F#$KED UP. HOW MANY WHITE COPS HAVE GOTTEN AWAY WITH UNJUSTLY MURDERING AND ABUSING AFRICAN AMERICANS. WHITE COPS ARE JUST THE KKK IN UNIFORM.
at 3:47 am
What is really sickining is that this police officer is still employed, further he has been given immunity for killing a black woman. The real issues is that African-Americans need to demand that this Justified/Justinian system be stopped. Justified homicide is a Justinian law that says a slave master cannot be prosecuted for killing a slave, this rings true today. The judicial system must be changed. Until this judicial system is changed All African-Americans are targets of the racist police system. So I advise ALL African-Americans to be wise and careful, but fight back. Stop letting the racist system get away with murder. African-American’s need to march and call for a major overhaul of the justice system. Only until the racist police system is changed will white police officers stop killing blacks. African Power equal African liberaton.
at 8:43 pm
26 and 6 chirren…..man….niggas and flie…hahahah…..i guess she used to like to get her f**k on…..
SAINTS BABY!!!!
baton rouge, louisiana DatBoy
at 11:48 am
Coward… shooting into a dark room where a known drug dealer with Im sure a violent criminal past or tendencies lived… Why are we not up in arms over a young mother of 6 children living with a drug dealer? Why are we not upset with the mother and the family for not keeping herself and children out of harms way? Did she deserve to die NO. Why are we not mad at this mother? Why is she being defended as if she were someone who died a hero? Im not understanding many of these posts. The only thing I can hope for is this money is placed in a secure trust and it can only be used to benefit these childrens needs and future education.
at 10:57 am
yea not nearly enough and the cop was such a coward that he did not bother to see what he was shooting and just shot into a room he should be fired for being coward and jailed.. and the family should get 30 more million .. my best was killed when i was 16 and he was 15 at the time … he was shot while in cuffs in the back of the head.
at 5:46 am
2.5 mil??
not nearly enough
another sick joke……..whats going on america???
at 5:41 pm
What was really FCKd UP, The fact that both Wood and Lucas Co.(region 5) forensic teams found that the woman was on her knees, shot angle was 117 degrees, downward, facing His weapon!! That tells me…the Officer had apprehended her by voice command….then just shot her and baby (lost a digit or two). There is a serious problem with the Law enforcement patrol services in NW Ohio and SE Michigan (ToledoBlade.com). The lack of hand to hand combat training, doc**ented drug abuse and alcoholism, and sexual deviancy on the job, are to frequent….For the public to feel secure..These newly elected officials best address this quickly…or the police/sheriff will be targeted! (it happen before,1966 to 1974)..
at 2:23 pm
I guess it’s shoot first and ask questions later in good ‘ol Lima, OH, huh? Yeah, I hate to hear stories like this one. Whether this deceased young lady was involved in the drug trade or not with her boyfriend doesn’t give the police the right to come in her house blasting away knowing there are children present in the home. Yes, he should have received some type of criminal punishment or at least been fired. That is one cop who definitely could have used better judgement.
at 1:54 pm
No amount of money will ever bring those childrens mother back…. The cop should of got criminal charges n spend at least 5-10years n prison with the womans boyfriend so he could get sum ol fashioned justice 4 himself!!
at 1:34 pm
first, i’ll state the officer should’ve been found guilty on criminial charges.
this is the type of sh it that happens when a woman gets invovled w/ a dope dealer/thug. i remember in the 90s a college girl w/no record got sentenced 25 to life beause her thug boyfriend got her to carry a “package” for him. she ended up doin a lil over 6 then got pardoned by clinton.
i used to read the mags King, Black Men, Smooth and in the interviews with the girls they said they liked dem a thug because they felt safe and protected. dumb broads not realzing their lives are at a greater risk hanging w/ these ni99as!