The Minnesota officer acquitted for killing Philando Castile last year will be paid $48,500 to leave the suburban police department where he was employed, according to a separation agreement made public Monday. (July 10) According to reports, Jeronimo Yanez will be paid the lump sum as well as 600 hours of unused personal leave pay. At the time of Castile’s death Yanez’s yearly salary was reported at $72,600, that amount doesn’t include overtime pay.
Castile’s death, which took place just one day after Alton Sterling’s murder, rocked the nation already ripe with frustration over the many deaths of African-American men and women shot and killed by law enforcement. On July 6, 2016 Castile was in the passenger seat of a car driven by his girlfriend with her then 4-year-old daughter in the backseat when they were pulled over. The 32-year-old was a licensed gun owner and told Yanez he was armed when he was shot. Castile’s girlfriend filmed his gruesome last moments on Facebook Live.
The 29-year-old Latino officer was found not guilty of manslaughter last month, and in a statement, the city explained what Yanez leaving the department would hopefully do for the city.
“Since Officer Yanez was not convicted of a crime, as a public employee, he would have appeal and grievance rights if terminated,” it said in a statement. “A reasonable voluntary separation agreement brings to a close one part of this horrible tragedy. The City concluded this was the most thoughtful way to move forward and help the community-wide healing process proceed.”