Sanders Settlement: Resolution, Not Justice

Fifteen months after Austin City Council told City Manager Marc Ott in a closed session to "go forth and settle; up to $750,000" with the parents of Nathaniel Sanders, II, it seems they may well honor that mandate. Nate was sleeping in a car, possibly with a gun near or underneath his body (no fingerprints were found), on May 11, 2009, when  Leonard Quintana, an almost-former police officer (soon to lose his peace license over a drunk driving conviction) shot and killed him with two bullets, one in the back of his head. Our independent review team, KeyPoint Investigations, called this an unjustifiable shooting, while the City and district attorney did everything they could to hide the facts of the case so that Quintana was not held criminally accountable.

There is little recourse after politics takes precedent over justice for a family who knows their son never had to die. The only legal option left is a civil suit, where there is hope of getting many more facts out in court, and therefore the public, so the truth is revealed. If anyone thinks this is just simply a matter of filing a piece of paper, sitting back and waiting for the settlement money to roll in, they are delusional. Money cannot take the place of a lost loved one, and cannot attempt to make up for the suffering. Having one's child taken away this way takes a steep toll on one's life. You can't sleep...eat....work...things fall apart. After attorneys fees, there's really barely enough left to try to rebuild your broken world.

It's a small consolation for the receiver, but in the eyes of the giver, a large one symbolically. Yes, the City doesn't have to admit wrongdoing in a settlement, but to a certain extent, it's implied due to its unprecedented nature. The City comes out ahead, really (in PR terms and in saving further financial resources towards the case), because if you read the KeyPoint report - the unredacted one the City tried to hide - and several filings including expert testimony in the civil suit, it's clear who would win a trial. But if you're the family, having to relive the horrid details over and over in that setting - in public...it feels like having your nightmare rebooted.

It's quite certain that Mayor Pro Tem Cole, Council Members Tovo, Morrison and Spelman will vote for the settlement - what's not so certain is where Riley will go. Having partnered with Shade last year on the unethical $500,000 "compromise" that put the City at risk with the courts, will he join Leffingwell and Martinez in a disingenuous "no" vote (they will claim they want the facts to come out in court...which they really don't) or do right by the City and the community?

Yes, the City will escape accountability on every failing around this boy's death - but a trial, while exposing some more people to the facts, won't do anything to change the lack of leadership at City Hall that was so callously displayed during this saga. Only changing leaders will do that.

Which brings us to...

Fair Geographic Representation - The People's Version!

The Austin Bulldog broke the long-awaited story of the underground community coalition's efforts to bring forth a consensus community plan. It's a must-read.

In short, 6-2-1 ain't gonna cut it. 8-1 or 8-2-1 ain't gonna either. 10-1 with citizens drawing the maps will pass both the Dept. of Justice and the citizens of Austin's muster.  This can and will win this time, and our City leaders who are brought forth by central city power brokers really need to just step aside on this. Really. We got it. Nothing to see here, move along, move along and go hit up some Yellow Cab lobbyists for your next campaign.

Budget, Rate Hikes and Water

Back at City Hall, there will be quite a show tomorrow with those STILL awaiting the results of the due-last-week WTP4 delay cost options weighing in on the budget and the water (and other) rate hikes.  Water conservation (before building unneccesary plants) folks will beat the drums til they hear a la here, here and here.  Community activists have a sign-on letter opposing rate hikes roaming far and wide on the eve of council which will hopefully have some small impact.

Keep an eye on Brian Rodgers of ChangeAustin testimony tomorrow - he's gonna drop some serious whammies. I know because I helped prepare them!