The city of Aurora, Colorado, reached a $1.9 million settlement with a Black woman who was removed from her car at gunpoint with her underage family members after police officers mistakenly thought she had stolen her vehicle.
The woman, Brittney Gilliam, filed a civil rights lawsuit against the city and police officials in 2021, alleging that officers searched her and her family members at gunpoint without probable cause or evidence of a crime. She said in the lawsuit that they were targeted because they are Black.
David Lane, an attorney for the family, said Tuesday that he hopes the settlement will lead to changes in how law enforcement handles similar situations.
“Aurora cops need to spend less time on the gun range and more time in the law library. Our hope is that police officers all over the country learn that law enforcement needs to use common sense, especially when dealing with children,” Lane said in an emailed statement. “A robo-cop mentality will lead to huge liability.”
He added: “We believe that inexcusable racial profiling was involved in this case as well. When the race of the occupants of a vehicle causes guns to be drawn, a line has been crossed which will result in huge consequences for the police.”
City spokesperson Michael Brannen said, “The Aurora Police Department remains committed to strengthening the relationship with the community through accountability and continuously improving how it serves the public.”
The family was having a “Sunday Funday” in August 2020. Gilliam had taken her 17-year-old sister, her 6-year-old daughter and two nieces, ages 12 and 14, out to get their nails done and for ice cream. When the group got to the nail salon, they realized it was closed so they sat in Gilliam’s car to look for another place, according to the lawsuit.
That’s when police approached the vehicle and ordered everyone out, the lawsuit said. Gilliam, her sister and her 12-year-old niece were handcuffed, according to the lawsuit. The handcuffs were…
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