Settlement NOW official!

The civil litigation that pitted the parents of the late Zachary Hammond against Seneca is no more.  Previously, there had been announcement of an out of court settlement.  But not until a proceeding this morning at the Oconee Courthouse formally approved that settlement, with agreement from all sides.  Circuit Judge Letitia Verdin told the parties she would sign the settlement order that ends what had been a federal claim by the Hammonds against the Seneca police, officer Mark Tiller, and Chief John Covington.  The settlement awards the Hammond parents—Angie and Paul Hammond–$2.1 million to cover survival and wrongful death claims.  The Hammonds gave their assent to a series of questions by the judge as to whether they were satisfied with the settlement and with the way the settlement was broken down to pay their attorneys’ fees and the cost of expert witnesses who were contacted to prepare for a trial.  The approved settlement “forever ends”, as Hammond attorney Eric Bland said, any civil litigation among the parties.  In front of the judge, Bland said the shooting death of Zachary Hammond last summer leaves lessons for everyone, and he later spoke to 101.7/WGOG NEWS about those lessons.  We are carrying those reports today over our airwaves.