ROCHESTER, N.Y. — The family of a man who died while in the custody of Rochester police will receive a settlement from the city.
Mayor Malik Evans announced on Thursday that the city has reached an agreement with the estate of Daniel Prude. The settlement, according to the mayor, is worth $12 million.
Evans released a statement addressing the cost of the settlement, saying:
“Mental health, that’s a major investment we made in this years budget,” Evans said Thursday. “We have a lot of work to do in our community, but from a financial and a legal perspective, we thought this was the best path forward."
It has been more than two years since Prude was taken into custody by Rochester police. Days later he was pronounced dead after being taken off life support.
Prude's death was ruled a homicide by the county medical examiner.
Months later, his death sparked protests throughout the city of Rochester when police footage of his restraints was released.
A grand jury voted not to indict any officers in connection to Prude’s death.
The incident prompted changes in policing and in how both the city and county respond to mental health crises.
Nathaniel McFarland, Daniel Prude’s oldest son, said in a statement:
The settlement is not an admission of guilt and according to court paperwork, the family waived the right to appeal.
The city also confirmed it’s the largest civil rights settlement in Rochester's history, with City Councilmember Stanley Martin calling the settlement a "historical moment."
“I don’t know if we’d be here without the ground movement we had in Rochester," said Martin, who played a pivotal role in getting the footage public and organized many of those protests. "People saying, 'enough is enough' and fighting to hold police accountable."
Next steps for Martin and the Prude family include continuing to push for "Daniel’s Law," a bill that would remove police as the default response to mental health calls.