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One of the men involved in a shootout between rival gangs in downtown Sacramento received a settlement weeks before the shooting.
Court records show Smiley Martin received a $7,500 settlement last month after he filed a complaint about an attack in 2018. He stated in the complaint the corrections officer allowed members of a rival gang to attack him at the Sacramento County Main Jail. County officials said the decision to settle was "purely an economic one," adding that the costs would have multiplied as they wait for what would have been delayed trial dates because of COVID. Martin was arrested for suspicion of possession of a firearm and a machine gun for the downtown shooting that left six people dead and 12 injured.
“The county’s decision to settle was purely economic, as the trial date was approaching and it was likely the trial would be pushed out for many months given the court calendar backup due to COVID. A decision was made to put an end to the case, as the costs going forward would multiply” a county spokesperson told CBS13. Following the recent mass shooting tragedy, all eyes have been on he Sacramento County Main Jail, which has been the focus of numerous lawsuits in past years over excessive force, wrongful death, early release of violent criminals and inhumane treatment by guards, costing the county millions of dollars.