HOUSTON -- The legal battle over the shooting of Robbie Tolan, whose promising professional baseball career ended after he was shot by a police officer almost seven years ago, has ended with the City of Bellaire agreeing to pay a relatively modest $110,000 in damages.
Tolan's attorneys agreed to the deal on what was supposed to be the first day of trial on a civil rights lawsuit against the officer and the City of Bellaire. But after U.S. District Judge Melinda Harmon dropped the city government from the case, Tolan's lawyers faced the prospect of trying to collect damages solely from the police officer.
"We did not get justice here," said Marian Tolan, the shooting victim's mother. "We did not get justice here."
The case became a flashpoint for long-running complaints that Bellaire police officers target black and Hispanic drivers, racially profiling them for traffic stops. The shooting triggered demonstrations and marches by protesters both before and after the officer was acquitted of criminal charges.
"We need to continue to work to effect change," Tolan said. "Until that happens, it's going to keep happening. Young black men, unarmed, are going to keep getting shot until we do something about it."
The shooting happened on New Year's Eve 2008 outside Tolan's home, when an officer named Jeffrey Wayne Cotton stopped him on suspicion of driving a stolen vehicle that turned out to be his own. Cotton ordered Tolan to lie on the ground, his mother stepped outside to defend him and the confrontation escalated until the officer shot the young man three times.
Cotton, who was found not guilty of aggravated assault charges in criminal court, has previously said he felt terrible "about being put in that position" and said he never wanted to shoot anybody. After the settlement of the civil case, he said little as he left the courthouse.
"Just glad that it's over," Cotton said.
Tolan's mother complained that even though her son survived the shooting, his dream of become a professional baseball player like his father, Bobby Tolan, has died. His lawyers originally planned to call as witnesses a number of professional baseball players, including Ken Griffey Sr. and Ken Griffey Jr., to testify about his potential career in the major leagues.
"It's got to stop," said Marian Tolan. "All life matters. We love our kids just like you love yours. And we're going to fight. And we're going to get change."
Tolan, who said he has written a book about his experiences, plans to lobby for more extensive use of body cameras by police officers.
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