Sanders, city could settle for $750k

AUSTIN (KXAN) - The family of Nathaniel Sanders has reached a tentative settlement offer in a wrongful death lawsuit with the city of Austin for $750,000 in the May 2009 shooting death of the 18-year-old, according to the Sanders' family attorney, Adam Loewy.

The settlement must be approved by the Austin City Council and is on the agenda for July 29.

"We are pleased the city and APD has finally accepted responsibility for this unjustified shooting," said Loewy.

Sanders was shot and killed by Austin police officer Leonardo Quintana on May 11, 2009.

A Travis County grand jury cleared Quintana in August 2009 of criminal charges for using deadly force in the shooting.  Police Chief Art Acevedo fired him in May for a DWI arrest. Quintana is appealing that firing and hopes to get his job back at the APD.

The settlement was reportedly reached through mediation and was agreed to by both sides, but is not going over will with the police union.

"Nobody should accept responsibility for something they're not guilty of, so no matter how the wording would be on a settlement like that, it would leave a cloud and it would give the impression that something was done wrong here and it wasn't," said Wayne Vincent, President of the Austin Police Association.  "I'd be extremely shocked if the city were to fold on this lawsuit."