Kenosha Officials Deny Jacob Blake Damage Claims After Police Shooting

Protesters march near the Minneapolis 1st Police precinct during a demonstration against p
KEREM YUCEL/AFP via Getty Images

Officials in Kenosha, Wisconsin, recently denied a claim for damages from Jacob Blake Jr., who became paralyzed after a police officer shot him in 2020.

Blake wanted damages for medical expenses, lost wages, and “pain and suffering and disfigurement,” the petition reportedly read, according to the Associated Press (AP).

“Although the claim was capped at $50,000 under state law, Blake’s lawyers submitted an itemization of ‘special damages’ in the amount of nearly $777,000 resulting from his injuries. The Kenosha City Council voted 17-0 this week to reject Blake’s request,” the article published Friday said.

According to Kenosha News, the council denied the claim with no comment or deliberation.

“City Administrator John Morrissey said Thursday that the filing of the claim was a formality that could allow Blake to sue for the damages limited by state law,” the AP report continued.

In January, Kenosha County District Attorney Michael Graveley announced no police would face criminal charges in the August shooting of Blake, which sparked riots in the area.

Breitbart News reported:

Blake was shot seven times from behind after an altercation with police who were trying to arrest him on Aug. 23. Blake was wanted on charges that included sexual assault, and his alleged victim called 911 after he came to her residence. He fought police and evaded a Taser, allegedly reaching for a knife inside his car before he was shot. He is paralyzed from the waist down; he pleaded guilty to lesser charges in November and received two years’ probation in a deal with prosecutors.

The Black Lives Matter movement embraced Blake as one of its iconic victims; he was hailed by Democrats, including Joe Biden and Kamala Harris, who met with Blake’s family and initially blamed police and “systemic racism” for the shooting.

In March, Blake filed an excessive force lawsuit against the officer who shot him.

COMMENTS

Please let us know if you're having issues with commenting.