Almost two years after a North Carolina family's dog was shot during an infamous Interstate 40 traffic stop, the pet's owners will be paid $77,500 to settle a lawsuit against the city of Cookeville and the police officer who leveled his shotgun at the canine.
The settlement in the U.S. District Court case filed by James and Pamela Smoak of Saluda, N.C., was accepted several weeks ago and became public Thursday when documents were filed in court.
''That amount includes their attorney's fees, that's everything,'' City Manager Jim Shipley said.
''It was just right up against the trial date. They were still in some depositions, but it was not far from trial. Just all of a sudden the offers started kind of going back and forth and we settled,'' Shipley said.
The city manager said the settlement was not an admission of guilt on the city's part. ''We felt like we had a good case and we did nothing wrong. We admitted no liability in the settlement. In my opinion, it was a good economic decision,'' Shipley said.
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The settlement in the U.S. District Court case filed by James and Pamela Smoak of Saluda, N.C., was accepted several weeks ago and became public Thursday when documents were filed in court.
''That amount includes their attorney's fees, that's everything,'' City Manager Jim Shipley said.
''It was just right up against the trial date. They were still in some depositions, but it was not far from trial. Just all of a sudden the offers started kind of going back and forth and we settled,'' Shipley said.
The city manager said the settlement was not an admission of guilt on the city's part. ''We felt like we had a good case and we did nothing wrong. We admitted no liability in the settlement. In my opinion, it was a good economic decision,'' Shipley said.
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