Austin City Council settles with family of man fatally shot by APD officer

The Austin city council has voted to pay $600,000 to family members of a man who was shot by an Austin police officer. This brings the total amount awarded to Larry Jackson Junior's relatives to $1.85 million. That's the city's highest payout involving a police shooting.

On Thursday morning, Mayor Steve Adler paused a moment before taking a vote on the settlement of the Larry Jackson Junior case to say, "Nobody is made whole in any of these situations in any way."

All but one council member voted in favor of awarding Jackson's wife and mother $600 thousand dollars.

Attorney Adam Loewy represents Jackson's parents. Lowey joined FOX 7 Thursday evening to explain what this payout means to the family.

"They're very grateful this part is over. This has been a very long and hard 2 and 1/2 years," said Loewy.

In 2014, the city settled a lawsuit filed on behalf of Jackson's three children for $1.25 million dollars. All parties believe former Austin Police Department Detective Charles Kleinert used excessive force when he fatally shot Jackson in 2013.

That day Kleinert was at a Central Austin bank investigating a robbery. Police say Jackson came to the door, to cash a stolen check. Surveillance video shows the two talking then Jackson running away and Kleinert chasing after him.

The two ended up struggling under a bridge. Jackson was shot in the back of the head. Kleinert said it was an accident.

Kleinert retired and was indicted for manslaughter. This past October, a federal judge dismissed the charge ruling Kleinert was acting as a federal officer at the time and therefore was protected from prosecution.

The district attorney's office filed an appeal on the case in January. Loewy doesn't expect the court to overturn the judge's decision.

The financial payout, he says, confirms what he already knew.

"It confirms this was excessive force and it confirms this was a horrible, horrible situation that should not have happened," said Loewy.

Prior to this $1.85 million dollar settlement, the largest amount paid was one million dollars. The city paid one million to the family of Kevin Brown in 2008 and again to the family of Daniel Rocha in 2009.