SEATTLE (AP) — A jury in Seattle ruled Thursday that the driver of a vehicle that struck and killed a Black Lives Matter protester on a closed interstate must pay the protester’s family $6 million.
The same King County jury found the state of Washington was not negligent in the death, the Seattle Times reported.
Summer Taylor, 24, was hit and killed by a car that drove the wrong way on Interstate 5 i n Seattle during protests in July 2020. Another protester was critically injured.
Taylor’s family sued the state, saying officials did not take proper precautions that would have protected the protesters on the interstate bridge. The driver, Dawit Kelete, 30, was sentenced in September 2023 to 6.5 years in prison for vehicular homicide and other charges.
The state patrol closed the interstate during nightly protests over the murder of George Floyd by Minneapolis police officers. An attorney for Taylor’s family said the state was also to blame for not properly closing an exit ramp from the freeway.
“No patrol car, no spike strips, no flashing lights, no barricade, nothing. … That’s negligence,” the family’s attorney, Karen Koehler, said during closing arguments.
The state had argued that Taylor’s presence on the freeway was illegal, and Taylor and Kelete were both at fault.
“Had either of them chosen to follow the law that the rest of us are bound by, this doesn’t happen — this accident never happens,” Steve Puz, senior counsel for the Washington Attorney General’s Office, said during opening statements.
Damages included $1.75 million for each of Taylor’s parents and $2.5 million for their brother.
Taylor was a veterinary assistant who one day hoped to attend veterinary school at Washington State University. Taylor was remembered by their family as someone dedicated to racial and LGBTQ+ justice.
FILE - A photo of Summer Taylor, who suffered critical injuries and died after being hit by a car while protesting over the weekend, sits among flowers at the King County Correctional Facility where a hearing was held for the suspect in their death on July 6, 2020, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson, File)
MADRID (AP) — Kylian Mbappé renewed his quest to win a European title by scoring for Real Madrid in his first Champions League match with the club.
Mbappé found the open net after a cross by Rodrygo just seconds into the second half of Madrid's 3-1 win over Stuttgart at the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium.
“It was a great night,” Mbappé said. “It was a tough match, as they always are in the Champions League, but it was important to start with the win at home.”
Mbappé celebrated with a gesture in which he appeared to blow candles and sending a kiss. Spanish media said it was to honor his mother's 50th birthday.
The goal gave defending champion Madrid a 1-0 lead before Stuttgart equalized with Deniz Undav in the 68th. Antonio Rüdiger put Madrid back in front in the 83rd and substitute Endrick closed the scoring deep into stoppage time to seal the victory for the defending champions.
It was Mbappé's 49th Champions League goal, putting him in the top 10 of top scorers all time in the competition.
He has scored in three consecutive matches and has five goals in seven games with Madrid so far in all competitions.
“I can do more,” Mbappé said. “I'm feeling better match after match.”
Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois was named the man of the match as he was key to keep Stuttgart from capitalizing on its many scoring opportunities.
Mbappé had been mostly quiet until scoring, with one of his clearest chances coming in the 25th minute after he entered the area and had his low shot was saved. He was free inside the area a couple of minutes later, but Federico Valverde’s low cross to the France star was intercepted by a defender.
Madrid struggled to created many significant scoring opportunities early on at the Bernabeu. It was Stuttgart that threatened the most, including with a couple on one-on-one situations and an attempt that hit the crossbar.
Vinícius Júnior also hit the crossbar for Madrid.
Mbappé won the 2018 World Cup with France but failed to win the Champions League in the seven seasons with Paris Saint-Germain, which was also on a quest for its first title in Europe’s top club competition.
The playmaker left PSG as a free agent at the end of last season to join Madrid following a decade-long pursuit by the Spanish powerhouse — a move could boost his chances of lifting the European trophy with the team that has won the Champions League six times in the last 11 years.
Mbappé reached the semifinals of the club competition in 2017 with Monaco, and was a beaten finalist in 2020 with PSG. He was also in the semifinals with PSG in 2021 and last season.
AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
Real Madrid's Kylian Mbappe celebrates after scoring the opening goal during the Champions League opening phase soccer match between Real Madrid and VfB Stuttgart at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium, in Madrid, Tuesday, Sept. 17, 2024. Real Madrid won 3-1. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)
Real Madrid's Kylian Mbappe celebrates after scoring the opening goal during the Champions League opening phase soccer match between Real Madrid and VfB Stuttgart at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium, in Madrid, Tuesday, Sept. 17, 2024. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)
Real Madrid's Kylian Mbappe celebrates after scoring the opening goal during the Champions League opening phase soccer match between Real Madrid and VfB Stuttgart at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium, in Madrid, Tuesday, Sept. 17, 2024. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)
Real Madrid's Kylian Mbappe, right, celebrates with teammate Antonio Rudiger after scoring the opening goal during the Champions League opening phase soccer match between Real Madrid and VfB Stuttgart at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium, in Madrid, Tuesday, Sept. 17, 2024. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)
Real Madrid's Kylian Mbappe celebrates after scoring the opening goal during the Champions League opening phase soccer match between Real Madrid and VfB Stuttgart at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium, in Madrid, Tuesday, Sept. 17, 2024. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)
