Mt. Pleasant Publicly Apologizes For DJ Henry's Death In 2010
EASTON (CBS) -- "This is closure for the legal aspect of our experience with that tragic night," said Dan Henry. He is referring to the night his son, DJ Henry, was shot and killed by a police officer in Mount Pleasant, NY in 2010.
On Tuesday, the family announced that they settled a lawsuit with the town of Mount Pleasant in connection with DJ's death. While financial terms of the settlement were not released, another aspect of the deal will be made public: an apology.
"I'm happy for our son," said Henry's mother, Angella, "because in the early days they tried so hard to make him look like something he wasn't and paint him in such a negative light. So this (apology) for us is priceless."
The town also promised to make a one-time contribution to the DJ Henry Dream Fund.
Henry was a Pace University student and football player at the time of his death seven years ago.
He was driving away from the chaotic scene of a disturbance outside a bar when a Pleasantville police officer ended up on the hood of his car. That officer shot and killed Henry as a Mount Pleasant officer on the scene also shot in the direction of the car.
Over the years, evolving evidence revealed falsehoods in the original statements made by officials about the circumstances of Henry's death.
The Pleasantville police officer claimed he shot at Henry in self-defense as Henry drove towards him with no intention of stopping. That scenario was later undermined.
The Mount Pleasant officer claimed he shot at the car but later admitted he was shooting at the person on the hood of the car because he believed that they were "the aggressor."
Last year, the Henry family was awarded $6 million from a wrongful death suit against the Pleasantville officer and the village of Pleasantville, NY.