The city council of Jackson, Mississippi, has approved a settlement in a wrongful death lawsuit filed by the family of George Robinson, who died following an encounter with police officers in January 2019. The settlement amount of $17,786 was agreed upon by the council, with the payment not serving as an admission of liability by the city or the three officers involved.
The lawsuit alleged that Robinson, a Black man, was subjected to brutal treatment by the officers, resulting in injuries that ultimately led to his death. Robinson, who had recently suffered a stroke and was on medication, experienced a seizure after the incident and passed away two days later due to bleeding on his brain.
While second-degree murder charges against two of the officers were dropped, former detective Anthony Fox was convicted of culpable negligence manslaughter by a Hinds County jury. However, the Mississippi Court of Appeals later overturned Fox's conviction, citing a lack of evidence to prove gross negligence on his part.
In a tragic turn of events, Robinson's mother, Bettersten Wade, also faced the loss of her son, Dexter Wade, who was fatally run over by an off-duty Jackson Police Department officer in March 2023. The handling of Dexter Wade's burial further added to the family's grief, as his body was initially interred without proper notification to his mother. Subsequent investigations revealed personal belongings in Dexter Wade's possession, prompting further scrutiny into the circumstances surrounding his death.
The Wade family, represented by civil rights attorney Ben Crump, held a funeral for Dexter Wade after his body was exhumed and an independent autopsy was conducted. The series of events underscore the need for transparency and accountability in cases involving law enforcement interactions and the treatment of individuals, particularly within marginalized communities.
