[dropcap size=big]T[/dropcap]he Los Angeles City Council on Tuesday approved two multi-million dollar settlements in cases involving police killings. The death of Charly “Africa” Keunang, a homeless man killed by LAPD in March 2015 on Skid Row, will cost the city $1.95 million. The brutal beating and suffocation by LAPD of Alex Jimenez in April 2015 in South Los Angeles will cost it $1.45 million.
L.A. City Council originally approved both settlements in a near unanimous vote with Councilmember Joe Buscaino, a former officer, initially the only dissenting vote. The votes prompted an outburst in public comment from a resident named John Walsh who chastised the LAPD and the city for the pay-outs.
“Everytime the LAPD beats the shit out of a woman, it costs us $2 million,” Walsh said from the podium addressing the council. “But does the new captain give a damn about it? No. Do you give a damn about it? No. Just throw $2 millon at Heleine Tchayou.”
Tchayou is the mother of the man known as Africa who was killed on Skid Row in an incident that went viral when video of the shooting was posted on Facebook.