The city of Jackson, Mississippi recently approved a settlement of $17,786 to the family of George Robinson, who died in January 2019 after being pulled from a car by three police officers while they were searching for a murder suspect. The settlement was unanimously approved by the Jackson City Council, but Robinson’s sister, Bettersten Wade, has decided to reject the settlement after city officials publicly disclosed the amount that would be paid to his survivors. Wade’s attorney, Dennis Sweet III, stated that the city violated a confidentiality agreement that was part of the settlement, prompting Wade to continue suing the city. The lawsuit alleged that the officers brutally beat Robinson, who had not committed any crime and was not a threat to anyone in the area.
Despite the approval of the settlement, Councilman Kenneth Stokes expressed his concern that the amount was too small and sent the wrong message about the value of human life, especially Black lives. Stokes suggested that the family should have been paid more as a step in the right direction. Robinson had been hospitalized for a stroke before the police encounter and was on medication at the time. He suffered a seizure after being beaten by the officers and died two days later from bleeding on his brain. Second-degree murder charges against two of the officers were dropped in the case, but former detective Anthony Fox was convicted of culpable negligence manslaughter by a Hinds County jury. However, in January of this year, the Mississippi Court of Appeals overturned Fox’s conviction, stating that prosecutors failed to prove gross negligence on his part.
Wade, who is also the mother of Dexter Wade, who was fatally run over by an off-duty Jackson Police Department officer in March 2023, has faced additional challenges in seeking justice for her loved ones. Dexter Wade was buried at the Hinds County Pauper’s Cemetery without his mother’s knowledge, and it was only in October that she was informed about the burial. His body was exhumed in November, and an independent autopsy revealed that his wallet contained his state ID card, credit card, and health insurance card. Civil rights attorney Ben Crump, who represents Wade’s family, stated that the family held a funeral for Dexter Wade in November before burying him in another cemetery. The circumstances surrounding both George Robinson’s death and Dexter Wade’s death raise questions about police accountability and the treatment of Black individuals in Jackson, Mississippi.
The decision by Bettersten Wade to reject the settlement from the city of Jackson shines a light on the ongoing pursuit of justice for the deaths of George Robinson and Dexter Wade. Wade’s attorney, Dennis Sweet III, emphasized that the disclosure of the settlement amount and the perceived victory claimed by the city prompted Wade to continue her legal battle. The lawsuit alleged that Robinson was brutally beaten by the three officers, despite not posing a threat to anyone at the time. Councilman Kenneth Stokes also expressed concerns about the small settlement amount, stating that it undervalued the lives of Black individuals. The overturned conviction of former detective Anthony Fox further highlights the challenges faced in holding law enforcement officers accountable for their actions.
The deaths of George Robinson and Dexter Wade in Jackson, Mississippi have brought attention to issues of police brutality and accountability in the city. Robinson’s death following a police encounter, and Wade’s death after being run over by an off-duty officer, highlight the ongoing challenges faced by Black individuals in their interactions with law enforcement. The rejection of the settlement by Bettersten Wade and the overturning of Anthony Fox’s conviction underscore the complexities of seeking justice in cases involving police misconduct. The public disclosure of the settlement amount has reignited calls for transparency and accountability in the handling of cases involving police violence, as the families of Robinson and Wade continue to seek justice for their loved ones.
