Mississippi Traffic Stop Shooting Case Settled

The city of Poplarville, Miss., has settled a lawsuit filed related to a traffic stop shooting incident.

The Picayune Item reports the settlement was reached this past week with plaintiffs, Kirmon Warren of Slidell, La., and Lakesha Durr in Pearl River County Circuit Court.

In court documents, the plaintiffs said they were injured when a police officer fired into their car during a roadblock by Poplarville police in March 2009.

Vick Smith, an attorney with the city’s insurance company, says the settlement awarded Warren $45,000, most of which was meant to cover his medical expenses, and awarded Durr $13,000.

Police have not identified the officer involved in the incident.

Smith and Poplarville Police Chief Charlie Fazende say they believe the city would have won its case had the matter gone to trial.

“Just because someone gets paid money in a lawsuit settlement doesn’t make them right,” Fazende said. “I would have preferred to go to trial.”