Attorney Paul Luvera Issues Statement Regarding Settlement in Meservey Wrongful-death Lawsuit

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Feb 16, 2011, 01:30 ET

SEATTLE, Feb. 16, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- The following is a statement from Paul N. Luvera, the attorney representing the family of Niles Meservey, who was shot and killed by Officer Troy Meade on June 10, 2009.

"Yesterday we reached an agreement with the City of Everett and its Police Department on behalf of the Niles Meservey family. The city has agreed to pay Niles' daughter, Tanda Louden, a half million dollars to settle claims in the wrongful death lawsuit for the actions of Officer Troy Meade in the shooting death of Niles Meservey.

"We accepted the offer to provide some certainty for Tanda and her family. It was a hard decision; we very much wanted to present all of the facts to the jury, but we had to consider the best interests of Tanda and her family given the offer by the city to settle the case.

"We hope the Everett Police Department will use this tragic case as an opportunity to learn from the events of that night. While no reasonable person believes Niles Meservey should have been sitting in his car that night in his condition, we also believe no reasonable person could justify shooting him for that transgression.

"We hope the lawsuit focused attention on the police department's behavior, and will help the police and city to define standards of police conduct that better serve those they are sworn to protect.

"Tanda and her family would like to publicly thank Officer Steve Klocker for his exceptional courage in coming forward and speaking the truth about what happened that evening. His honesty and integrity demonstrate what the public should expect from our police force."

Neither Tanda Louden nor any other family member will be available for comment or interview.