Atlanta to Pay $3.75 Million Settlement to Family of Man Who Died in Police Custody

In a recent decision, the City of Atlanta has agreed to pay a settlement of $3.75 million to the family of a Nebraska man who tragically passed away while in police custody. The settlement was approved by the City Council following a determination by the Fulton County medical examiner that Ricardo Dorado Jr.'s death on August 21, 2022, was classified as a homicide.

The medical examiner's report concluded that the cause of death for the Lexington, Nebraska resident was prone restraint cardiac arrest. Contributing factors included the presence of methamphetamine in Dorado's system, head injuries sustained from officers' batons during his arrest, and underlying heart disease.

According to Gabe Banks, an attorney representing Dorado's family, a review of the bodycam footage revealed severe misconduct by several officers from the City of Atlanta Police Department, resulting in Ricky's untimely demise. Banks emphasized that Dorado was unarmed, and his death could have been entirely preventable.

The incident began when officers were called to a convenience store in Atlanta, where a man was reported to be vandalizing vehicles and gas pumps. Despite attempts to subdue Dorado with electrical stun guns and pepper spray, he used a T-shirt to barricade himself inside the store's bathroom and later emerged aggressively when officers forced entry.

Dorado was said to have thrown bottles of wine at the officers, prompting them to use batons in response. Subsequently, he was handcuffed outdoors and held face down on the pavement. It was reported that Dorado remained in this position for 15 minutes, with one officer placing a knee on his arm and another on his back while his feet were held up, resulting in a "hogtied" position.

Attorneys for Dorado's family had previously notified the city of their intent to file a lawsuit, seeking $17.5 million in damages. However, the city chose to settle the case before legal action was initiated.

After Dorado became unresponsive, officers turned him over and administered first aid, but he passed away at a hospital several hours later. Both the Georgia Bureau of Investigation and the Atlanta police conducted investigations into the incident. At present, the three officers involved remain on administrative duty.

In August, the GBI provided its findings to prosecutors, allowing Dorado's family's legal representatives to view previously unreleased police body camera footage. Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis has yet to announce whether she will pursue criminal charges against the officers.

This settlement is part of a series of payments by the City of Atlanta, totaling more than $8 million this year, to address claims against the police department.