Timothy Russell and Malissa Williams were shot to death by Cleveland police in a barrage of 137 gunshots after leading officers on a long car chase two years ago.
Officers believed the two were armed, though investigators have never found a gun.
Last year, Russell’s and Williams’ families sued the city in federal court. Cleveland agreed to settle, and court records show the city will pay $3 million.
Each family will receive a bit less than $900,000, with $1.2 million for attorney’s fees. The award to the families will be further divided among Russell’s and Williams’ survivors.
Paul Cristallo is an attorney for the Russell family.
“The city and the parties came to an agreement fairly early on in this federal court litigation," Cristallo said. "And I think that suggests everyone saw the wisdom in getting it done.”
In an email, a city spokesman wrote that Cleveland settled to avoid drawn-out litigation, and that the settlement is not an admission of liability.
Dozens of officers were disciplined in the case, and one now faces manslaughter charges. He has pleaded not guilty.
