COLUMBUS, Ohio — The Columbus City Council reached a settlement Monday night in a wrongful death lawsuit involving former vice officer Andrew Mitchell.
The council unanimously approved a settlement of $1,025,000 in the death of Donna Castleberry, who Mitchell allegedly shot and killed in 2018. Mitchell picked up Castleberry during an alleged prostitution sting.
Following Castleberry's death, Columbus police said Mitchell shot her after Castleberry pulled out a knife and cut Mitchell during an argument.
The suit was filed against the city of Columbus by Castleberry's family.
Castleberry's family questioned the deadly use of force and suggested Mitchell should not have been on police duty that day because he was already the focus of a separate criminal probe by his own department for allegedly abusing his police powers.
As part of the settlement, the city is relieved of any additional liability in the case regardless of the outcome in a pending criminal case against Mitchell, who is charged with murder and voluntary manslaughter charges on the state level.
He is also facing federal charges for allegedly coercing women into sexual acts under the threat of arrest.
