DENVER WILL PAY $4.6M TO FAMILY IN JAIL DEATH

The Denver City Council on Monday gave the final approval needed for a $4.65 million settlement with the family of Michael Marshall, an inmate killed while in jail custody.

Marshall, who was mentally ill and had chronic psychotic episodes during which he would hear voices, died while being restrained by jail deputies in the Downtown Detention Center in November 2015. The council approved the settlement in a block vote, without comments made by its members.

Marshall’s death two years ago sparked community outcry and the suspension of three deputies, including a watch commander.

Last week, after city officials proposed one of the city’s largest legal settlements in a use-of-force incident, a city hearing officer overturned two of the suspensions. Safety director Stephanie O’Malley had issued the suspensions after finding the deputies used excessive force while restraining Marshall.

The settlement agreement with Marshall’s family includes changes to how the sheriff’s department staffs and trains its deputies to deal with inmates who are suffering from mental illness.