The family of Freddie Gray, the black teen who died after sustaining fatal neck injuries while in police custody, has reached a $6.4 million settlement agreement with the city of Baltimore for his wrongful death, officials revealed Tuesday.
Six Baltimore police officers face criminal charges due to Gray's death. Gray was critically injured April 12 while in the back of a prisoner transport van after his arrest, reported NBC News. The realization that his death days later was caused due to mistreatment from police caused national outrage.
Even though the state and Gray's family have reached a settlement, the deal still needs to be approved by Baltimore's spending overseer, the Board of Estimates. A vote on the proposal wil be held Wednesday.
The proposed settlement "should not be interpreted as a judgment on the guilt or innocence of the officers facing trial," according to a statement from Baltimore Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake, according to The Baltimore Sun. "This settlement is being proposed solely because it is in the best interest of the city, and avoids costly and protracted litigation that would only make it more difficult for our city to heal and potentially cost taxpayers many millions more in damages."
The settlement does not resolve any factual disputes, the press release said, according to the Associated Press. All it means is that Baltimore is accepting all civil liability in Gray's arrest and death, but it has no bearing on the culpability of the officers involved in the incident.
