K’aun Green was your typical college football player before his life changed forever. Back in March 2022, Green was standing inside a local taqueria in San Jose, Calif., when a fight broke out, Newsone reported. Green stepped in to heroically disarm one of the men involved in the brawl before leaving the restaurant with the weapon.
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Around the same time, officers in the area were responding to reports of a homicide. According to KTVU, six officers arrived at the local taqueria where they spotted Green. Although the then-21-year-old tried to explain why he was in possession of a gun, one official pulled out his own weapon and aimed it at the college student. Assuming Green was the homicide suspect and not a hero, San Jose Police Officer Mark McNamara fired his weapon.
The college athlete was shot four times. Although none of the bullets hit major arteries or bones, Green said he’s still living with the trauma.
“The truth is, sometimes you’re doing nothing more than being a good guy. And you can still wind up on the short end of the stick being shot by a police officer, no matter what you do,” said Adante Pointer, one of Green’s attorneys.
The case took another turn after racist texts from Officer McNamara were exposed, the department reported. “N—-r wanted to carry a gun in the Wild West. Not on my watch,” McNamara allegedly wrote, according to an investigation by the San Jose Police Department. Reports confirmed the officer sent 10 pages worth of racist texts, with some even naming Green.
In the end, the texts and the video footage of the shooting led to McNamara resigning from the department and the Santa Clara County district attorney dropping several cases he was involved with. All the while, Green and his legal team have been working to get the justice he deserves.
According to KTVU, the city attorney has just approved an $8 million settlement and recommended it be paid before Jan. 13. The goal of the settlement is to avoid going to trial – a move which, according to the outlet, could spell more trouble for the city. Earlier in December, a judge dismissed Green’s excessive force lawsuit against San Jose. Still, $8 million is a major win and the second largest payout in the city’s history.
“The amount of this settlement reflects the inherent risks of litigation. The settlement reflects the risks of litigation when the officer involved was later found to have made reprehensible statements evidencing racial animus,” wrote city attorney Susana Alcala in response.
Meanwhile, Green is trying to get back to normal. He’s earned a scholarship to the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff. Once his degree is complete, Green will be the first in his family to graduate from college.
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