Charlotte: Officer Randall Kerrick resigns; separation agreement reached

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — The city of Charlotte says the white police officer whose trial in the shooting death of an unarmed black man ended with a deadlocked jury has resigned from the force and reached a settlement with the city. The bulk of that money – $112,935.98 – will go directly to Kerrick, who resigned from the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department effective October 2.

The city of Charlotte has agreed to pay former CMPD officer Randall Kerrick more than $179,000 in back pay and legal fees.

Kerrick shot and killed Jonathan Ferrell in September 2013 after the former Florida A&M football player was seeking help after running his auto off the road.

City attorney Bob Hageman said had Kerrick’s status with CMPD ended up in court, the city would likely have had to the pay the costs included in the separation agreement.

“This resolution allows CMPD and the Charlotte community to move forward in the healing process and continue our work together on open, candid and wide-ranging community dialogue about community and police relations”, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Mayor Dan Clodfelter said in a statement.

Wes Kerrick did not resign because of any wrong doing or misconduct. Another $16,000 goes to federal social security and Kerrick’s retirement, according to a statement from the city. The agreement also releases the city from future liability and ends Kerrick’s employment with CMPD. Kerrick’s criminal defense was paid for by the North Carolina Fraternal Order of Police. Prosecutors then chose to drop the charge rather than try the case again. It is also evident in the Attorney General’s decision not to retry the criminal case.

On Thursday, Georgia Ferrell, the dead man’s mother, said Kerrick should not have been compensated for killing her son.

“Not only is he getting away with murder, but now they’re paying him for it”, Hough said.

The jury, who deliberated for four days, became a hung jury with a vote of 8-4 in the case.

As a result of Ferrell’s death and the outrage it produced in a few parts of the city, CMPD officers are now assigned to wear body cameras to record their interactions with the public. At that time, CMPD said the department “will also conduct an internal review of the shooting of Ferrell, as it does for all officer involved shootings”.