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Denver to pay $6M, ending appeal in inmate’s death

City attorney says amount covers $4.65M awarded by a federal jury to Marvin Booker’s family, as well as $1.35M to cover the family’s attorney’s fees

Associated Press

DENVER — Denver city attorneys have reached a $6 million agreement with the family of a homeless street preacher who died in the downtown jail

a deal that will end the city’s appeal in the excessive-force case.

City Attorney Scott Martinez tells The Denver Post the amount covers the $4.65 million awarded by a federal jury to Marvin Booker’s family, as well as $1.35 million to cover the family’s attorney’s fees.

Booker died in 2010 after deputies shocked him with a stun gun while he was handcuffed, put him in a sleeper hold and lay on top of him, apparently in an effort to control him. His family’s attorneys said that was a zealous overreaction to the 56-year-old, who was frail and suffered a heart condition.

The city had argued the deputies followed department policy.