Inglewood Shooting Settlement Shrouded in Secrecy

February 21, 2016, changed the lives of the families of Kisha Michael and Marquintin Sandlin. The couple fell asleep in their vehicle at the intersection of Manchester and Inglewood Ave and were killed by nearly 20 bullets that Inglewood Police Officers shot into their car. No footage has been nor does the public know if any exists. A settlement was reported that was never discussed publicly by Mayor James Butts and his council colleagues.

During the last week of 2018, it was revealed that during the last city council meeting of the year, the Inglewood city council voted to destroy use of force investigations held by the police department. It is presumed that documents related to the Michael/Sandlin shooting were included in the shredding request.

On December 31, 2018, Frank Stolze of Laist, published an article titled “Inglewood Settles Suit Over Controversial Police Shootings For $8.6M” related to the couples death. This settlement was never publicly discussed by city council which prompted 2UrbanGirls to initiate a public records request to the Inglewood City Clerks office on January 2nd to obtain the date it was voted on.

The city responded today that the settlement was both discussed and approved on the October 16, 2018 council agenda. 2UrbanGirls watched the council meeting on YouTube, which is labeled “October 16, 2017” and watched intently for City Attorney Ken Campos reporting out of closed session items.

The council agenda lists closed session items under public comment. The first item on the agenda, CS-1 is listed as “anticipated litigation with one potential case”. “Discussion was held and direction give to staff,” said Campos. Item CS-2, which immediately follows CS-1, lists a Workers Compensation case for Angel Galvan, one of the city jailers. The city never identified who the party/parties were in CS-1.

Campos only reported a settlement in the amount of $87,943 for Angel Galvan’s workers compensation claim. Campos never disclosed a payment of $8.6 million for Michael and Sandlin’s heirs. The entire council voted to approve CS-1 and CS-2 except for Mayor Butts who myseteriously abstained citing his not being involved in the closed session meeting. This is odd for every Monday, the day prior to the city council meeting, Mayor Butts meets with all department heads to discuss the weekly council agenda before they meet in front of the public.

Is this settlement legal and binding if it was not reported publicly to taxpayers? Will the council meeting mysteriously disappear from YouTube? Can Campos be held legally liable for failure to publicly disclose the settlement? Skip to the 3:43 mark for Campos remarks or lack thereof.