It is with mixed emotions that we announce a settlement has been reached regarding our civil lawsuit against the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department and City of Charlotte.
We are grateful that this case has been resolved, but it is devastating to know that nothing we do will ever bring Jonathan back. Our faith in God and the power of prayer are the only things that have gotten us through this tragic situation.
Jonathan was the salt of the earth; an outstanding person who brought tremendous joy to so many. We remain hopeful that Jonathan’s death will ultimately result in permanent changes to law enforcement attitudes, policies and procedures-- not only within the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department, but within every other police department throughout the country.
Jonathan’s death remains a tragedy of the highest order and our mission has always been to ensure that no other innocent person unnecessarily loses their life to police violence. To help achieve this objective, part of the proceeds from this settlement will be used to launch the Justice for Jonathan Foundation, whose purpose is to help law enforcement and the community better understand one another.
We wish to acknowledge the professionalism that Chief Rodney Monroe has demonstrated in handling the difficult circumstances of Jonathan's death. Chief Monroe acted swiftly and decisively once it became clear from the dash-cam video that the use of deadly force against Jonathan was not justified. We are appreciative of the respect he has shown our family throughout this process.
Jonathan and our family have always had great respect for law enforcement. Jonathan's sister is a law enforcement officer so we know first-hand that the bad acts by one police officer should not tarnish the entire profession.
We will now focus our attention on the upcoming criminal trial of Randall Kerrick. We have complete confidence in Attorney General Roy Cooper and Special Prosecutor Adren Harris, and know that they will do everything in their power to secure a conviction in this case.
As always, we will never waver in our quest for justice for Jonathan and for all other victims of police misconduct.