Vote on settlement expected to be close

AUSTIN (KXAN) - More than a year after a former Austin police officer shot and killed 18-year-old Nathaniel Sanders, the Austin City Council will decide if his family is entitled to a $750,000 settlement .

If approved, the settlement would end the pending lawsuit against the former officer, Leonardo Quintana, who fired earlier this year on an unrelated incident.

Although the city has officially been dropped from the pending lawsuit, city staff says any damages awarded to the family would be covered by the city, since Quintana was an officer on duty at the time of the shooting.

Mayor Pro Tem Mike Martinez has already said that he will not be supporting the settlement . Mayor Lee Leffingwell has also hinted that he will not vote for the settlement.

Council members Sheryl Cole and Bill Spelman have said they will vote for the settlement. Council members Chris Riley, Laura Morrison and Randi Shade all say they will wait until after discussing the settlement in executive session before they make their decision.

Council will go into executive session sometime just after noon and is expected to return to vote on the settlement around 2 p.m.