The city of Lakewood, Washington, has settled with the family of a 26-year-old Black man shot three times by an officer who claimed he acted in self-defense.
Said Joquin died May 1, 2020, after officer Michael Wiley pulled him over for running a stop sign. The $8 million settlement, announced last week, concludes a federal civil rights lawsuit Joquin’s parents filed against the officer, who claimed their son lunged for a gun on the floor of his vehicle.
According to the lawsuit, Wiley approached Joquin’s car with his gun drawn and told him to “Shut the f–k up or you’ll get shot.” Joquin had his hands up, per Wiley’s demands, when he was shot, the suit states. After the shooting, Wiley then allegedly dragged Joquin from the car and “slammed him onto the ground.”
Wiley was involved in another costly suit against Lakewood in 2017. He was one of three officers held liable by a jury for the death of another young Black man, Leonard Thomas, for a record $15.1 million. A post-trial settlement was reached in exchange for $13 million and a promise not to appeal.
Thomas was holding his 4-year-old son when he was shot in the belly by a Lakewood SWAT sniper. Wiley reportedly announced “Jackpot!” over police radio after Thomas was shot and later praised his colleague for firing a “frickin’ million-dollar shot,” according to trial testimony. Thomas bled to death while begging the cops not to take his boy.
Evidence from the Thomas trial “revealed Wiley to be an exceptionally aggressive officer with an inadequate understanding of use of force, who was eager to use guns, explosives and unnecessary force, and who had demonstrated a striking lack of concern for life,” the Joquin family’s lawsuit alleged.
Wiley remains on the force. The Joquin suit stated Lakewood police “unreasonably and recklessly” continued to employ him even though the Thomas jury found he had violated the victim’s civil rights.
A previous attempt to dismiss the Joquin suit was blocked by U.S. District Judge David Estudillo. Wiley, the judge wrote in his August order, had a “documented history of using force against persons he has assisted in detaining.”
He said there was enough evidence for a jury to determine that “Joquin did not engage in any furtive or threatening manner during the encounter.”
Dawn Kortner, Joquin’s mother, said in a 2021 interview she never believed Wiley’s account.
“I feel like it was overkill,” Kortner said. “He took steps that shouldn’t have been taken. I feel like he was being overly aggressive, and I want him to be held accountable for what he did. He shouldn’t get a pension and sit at home and enjoy his kids when we can’t enjoy Said anymore.”
Pierce County Prosecuting Attorney Mary Robnett declined to press charges against Wiley for Joquin’s death.
In a letter to Lakewood Police Chief Mike Zaro, Robnett cited Joquin’s “unpredictable and dangerous behavior” by running a stop sign on a busy road in front of police. She also concluded bullet trajectory evidence revealed Joquin didn’t have his hands up when Wiley shot him.
Wiley was also cleared in an internal probe.
In a statement, Lakewood officials said, “Every life cut short is a tragedy, and we can only imagine the suffering and pain they are experiencing. The decision to reach this settlement was made with the intention of achieving the best outcome for all parties involved.”
