“Not Guilty” Cop’s City Just Agreed To Pay Philando Castile’s Family $3 Million

After the not guilty verdict in the manslaughter case against Jeronimo Yanez, the cop who fatally shot Philando Castile, the family of slain man was in pain for the justice they never received. But the cop who “didn’t do anything wrong” has now been fired from the police force and the city of St. Anthony has reached a $3 million settlement with Castile’s family.

The taxpayers are now on the hook for the police shooting of Philando Castile. As if stealing their money and using it to pay the salary of cops who snuff out the life of civilians isn’t enough, St. Anthony is making sure the taxpayers take the punishment for Yanez’s horrible lapse in judgment. Philando Castile’s family did deserve money, and they also deserved justice, but the cop who killed him should be responsible, not the taxpayers. Unfortunately, this is everything that’s wrong with the government in a nutshell.

“No amount of money could ever replace Philando. With [a] resolution of the claims the family will continue to deal with their loss through the important work of the Philando Castile Relief Foundation,” said the statement from the city and lawyers for the family. The announcement comes a week after the family of Michael Brown, who was shot and killed in 2014 by a police officer in Ferguson, Missouri, reached a settlement in its wrongful death lawsuit against that city.

Unfortunately, the cops are getting off easy and the burden is falling on the taxpayers; that’s where the city gets its money for these settlements. Castile’s death shook gun owners and other law-abiding citizens to the core. He did everything right in the traffic stop, yet he was still killed in front of his child. A later police video shows the little girl comforting her mother, Castile’s girlfriend after he was killed, while the two say in a police car.

“Mom, please stop cussing and screaming,” she says, “I don’t want you to get shooted.” Reynolds replied, “OK. Give me a kiss.” The child, with braids in her hair, leans over to peck her mom on the cheek. She also tries to reassure her mother many times, wrapping her arms around her mother and telling here: “It’s OK. I’m right here with you.” –CNN

No matter how much money is given to this grieving family, it will never be enough for the horrors this little girl had to endure because of a police officer. For those who defended a cop who “didn’t do anything wrong,” a $3 million settlement proves otherwise, as most logical thinkers understand. But the cop still got let off free, and the burden of that $3 million settlement has fallen squarely on the shoulders of those the city of St. Antony steals from. Officer Yanez is still a burden on the city’s civilians, who were stolen from to pay his salary, and who will be stolen from to pay for him taking the life of Castile.