July 15, 2015
By Stephanie West
New York, NY — New York City Comptroller Scott M. Stringer today announced the settlement of a pre-litigation claim with the estate of Eric Garner for $5.9 million. Garner’s estate filed a claim against New York City in October 2014 for damages related to his death in July of last year.
“Following a judicious review of the claim and facts of this case, my office was able to reach a settlement with the estate of Eric Garner that is in the best interests of all parties,” Comptroller Stringer said. “We are all familiar with the events that lead to the death of Eric Garner and the extraordinary impact his passing has had on our City and our nation. It forced us to examine the state of race relations, and the relationship between our police force and the people they serve. While we cannot discuss the details of this settlement, and the City has not admitted liability, I believe that we have reached an agreement that acknowledges the tragic nature of Mr. Garner’s death while balancing my office’s fiscal responsibility to the City.”
Under Chapter 5, Section 93 of the New York City Charter, the Comptroller has the authority to settle any claims against the City.
