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Agenda Item
6.9 27-0018 Subject: Estate Of Lolomania Soakai, Et Al. V. Walid Abdelaziz, Et Al.
From: Office Of The City Attorney
Recommendation: Adopt A Resolution Authorizing And Directing The City Attorney To Compromise And Settle The Case Of Estate Of Decedent Lolomania Soakai, Lavinia Soakai, An Individual And Personal Representative Of The Estate, Daniel Fifita, Samieuela Finau, And Ina Lavalu V. City Of Oakland, Walid Abdelaziz, And Jimmy Marin-Coronel, U.S. District Court, Northern District Of California Case No. 23-CV-00381 SK, City Attorney File No. 35435, By Payment In The Amount Of Seventeen Million Dollars And Zero Cents ($17,000,000.00) (Police Department - Unauthorized Pursuit)
While I acknowledge there is significant pain and suffering from the death of Mr. Soakai, settling for $17 million sets a precedent that in every police chase, affected families can enrich themselves at the expense of the City of Oakland. Just because the OPD officers involved did not follow protocol does not mean the taxpayers should pay such high sums to the victims' families for a death that is the fault of the fleeing suspect. This follows a similar lawsuit by the family of Marvin Boomer, also killed by a suspect fleeing police. The City needs to set strict limits how much it is willing to compensate families of victims when OPD was not the direct cause of the accident. The City cannot afford these settlements. This money is needed to keep our City's basic services, like public works, education and public safety, fully funded.
While I acknowledge there is significant pain and suffering from the death of Mr. Soakai, settling for $17 million sets a precedent that in every police chase, affected families can enrich themselves at the expense of the City of Oakland. Just because the OPD officers involved did not follow protocol does not mean the taxpayers should pay such high sums to the victims' families for a death that is the fault of the fleeing suspect. This follows a similar lawsuit by the family of Marvin Boomer, also killed by a suspect fleeing police. The City needs to set strict limits how much it is willing to compensate families of victims when OPD was not the direct cause of the accident. The City cannot afford these settlements. This money is needed to keep our City's basic services, like public works, education and public safety, fully funded.