Monday, October 28, 2013

Las Vegas Metro to Pay $1.5M in Police Killing of Disabled Gulf War Veteran

Source:  8 News Now, Las Vegas
http://www.8newsnow.com/story/23807820/breaking-news


Las Vegas Metro to Pay $1.5M in Deadly Shooting of Gulf War Veteran

Posted: Oct 28, 2013 1:15 PM EDTUpdated: Oct 28, 2013 7:04 PM EDT
LAS VEGAS -- The wife of Gulf War veteran Stanley Gibson was awarded a $1.5 million settlement for the officer-involved shooting death of her husband.
[Las Vegas] Metro's Fiscal Affairs Committee approved the settlement Monday morning. Rondha Gibson said she will use the money to buy a home and start a foundation in her husband's name.
"He'll always be a brave man and I won't ever see him as anything else," Rondha said.
Gibson, who was unarmed, was shot to death by a Metro Police officer in Dec. 2011. The officer, Jesus Arevalo, was fired from Metro in early October.
Gibson who suffered from post traumatic stress disorder and cancer accidentally drove into the wrong apartment complex near his home. He was lost and became confused as he drove around the parking lot. Police were called about a suspicious vehicle and confronted Gibson. The situation turned into a standoff and Gibson refused to exit his vehicle. Poor radio communication and a mistaken police plan resulted in Gibson being shot four times. Police were supposed to use a non-lethal bean bag to get Gibson out of his car, but officer Arevalo used an high-powered rifle and fired on Gibson.
Rondha can easily find the bullet holes in the jacket her husband was wearing that night. The jacket was retrieved after nearly two years in Metro's evidence file.
Cal Potter, Gibson's attorney, said both parties struggled to come up with the $1.5 million settlement figure.
"Metro thinks they paid too much and we don't think they paid enough. But it is a situation where the parties have agreed at this point in time," Potter said.
Clark County Commissioner Steve Sisolak said the settlement worked best for the city, the county and Metro.
"It was recommended by our attorney and he says it's in the best interests of our department in terms of our exposure and liability," Sisolak said.
 While the money will help Rondha honor her husband, she said, it will not make the pain of his loss go away.
"There's no amount of money you can take that you can put on a human head. I mean, Stan made every single day worth a million dollars to me."
Stanley Gibson's mother still has a pending case against Metro that has not been resolved.

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