The family of 43-year-old Black man William Green, who was shot while he sat handcuffed in the front seat of a Prince George’s (Maryland) police car in January, has been awarded $20 million, ABC News reports.
Green had been placed into custody after a traffic accident when PG police officer Michael Owen Jr., who is also Black, found Green asleep behind the wheel, apparently under the influence of an undisclosed substance.
At some point and for some reason, Owen fired six shots at Green while he was still in the vehicle, killing him. Owen claimed that he smelled PCP on Green and that Green resisted, however the medical examiner found no PCP in Green’s system nor were there any signs of a struggle.
The shooting was not caught on a body camera because Owen was not wearing one at the time of the shooting. Owen’s trial for murder will start March 22, 2021.
Prince George’s County Executive Angela Alsobrooks said during a news conference Monday, “There is no appropriate price tag to accompany a loss like that one, but we believe that the actions taken that night against Mr. Green and ultimately taken against his family warrant this settlement.”