‘Bullying’: Grieving Widow of Unarmed Black Man Killed By Police Will Not Receive $1.5M Settlement After 40 Hawaii Officers Showed Up to Council Meeting Armed and Uniformed In Protest

The City Council of Honolulu has decided not to proceed with a $1.5 million settlement of a wrongful death lawsuit over the 2021 police killing of a former South African rugby star after strong pushback from law enforcement and city officials. The civil case will now proceed to trial. The settlement had been approved by the city attorney and the council’s legal committee after three years of mediation and negotiations with attorneys representing the widow of Lindani Myeni, an unarmed Black man who was shot four times during a brief and violent encounter with Honolulu police responding to a 911 call about an alleged attempted burglary. Lindsay Myeni testified before the City Council (Lindani Myeni Facebook/ScreenshotOlelo TV/2024) But the city council unexpectedly delayed its vote to approve the settlement last month after more than 40 armed and uniformed officers, led by the police chief, appeared in council chambers in protest, while Myeni’s widow, Lindsay Myeni, other citizens and city leaders gave emotional testimony for and against the settlement. City Council Chair Tommy Waters then canceled a planned full council vote on the settlement last week, saying the matter should be decided in court, reported Hawaii News Now. Waters said discussion...