A Staten Island judge has approved nearly $4 million in payments to the family of Eric Garner resulting from a $5.9 million wrongful death settlement with the city.
via NY Post:
The judge is still weighing how much to award in attorneys fees, according to attorney Lorraine Coyle who represents Garner’s 3-year-old daughter, Legacy Jayleen Garner-Miller.
Garner’s youngest child and his widow, Esaw Snipes, will received the largest shares, according to family attorney Jonathan Moore.
Snipes will receive around $1.4 million while Garner-Miller will get close to $1.3 million, according to Moore.
“I’m very happy that Legacy is going to be getting an increase in funds from what was originally proposed,” Coyle said, adding that the original amount was under $1 million.
Garner’s other daughters– Erica and Emerald Snipes– will each be paid $163,600. Their older brother Eric will get $204,00 and their younger brother Emery, who is a minor, will receive $482,000.
Finally Garner’s mom Gwen Carr, who is overseeing her late son’s estate, will get $82,0000.
The money will be paid out over the next 90 days in the form of annuities or annual installments, Coyle told The Post.
“The big issues is what the attorneys fees are,” Coyle said. Lawyers are typically paid one-third of settlements, but Coyle noted that there was little legal work done as the city settled before Garner’s family even filed a lawsuit.
The law firm of Rubenstein and Rynecki and civil rights attorney Jonathan Moore are eligible for around $2 million in legal fees.
Partner Scott Rynecki and Moore said they are not asking for a specific amount, but will leave that decision up to the judge.
The family has also collected a $1 million settlement from Richmond University Medical Center.
Garner died in July 2014 after police placed him in a chokehold while he was being arrested for selling untaxed cigarettes.
RIP Eric Garner.
