Korryn Gaines’ Family Wins $38 Million Appeal In Wrongful Death Lawsuit; Officials Say Payment Amount May Be Reduced “Significantly

The family of police-slain Korryn Gaines has won an appeal in an ongoing wrongful death lawsuit.

In 2016, Korryn Gaines was murdered in her home by Baltimore County police, who were looking to serve her a warrant for a minor traffic violation. The entire incident ended in a standoff between Gaines and Baltimore police; authorities fatally shot Gaines in her home in front of her son. On Wednesday, a special appeals court ruled in favor of the family, according to a regional outlet WJZ 13.

“Korryn Gaines died a horrible, tragic, sadistic death, and we just wanted justice for her and her family,” said attorney J. Wyndal Gordon. She added that she spoke with Gaines’ family this week. Attorney Ken Ravenell claims the judge had determined that the lower court had “abused its discretion” when it threw out the jury’s previous decision to pay Gaines’s family with a $38 million reinstatement. Initially, the family sued the Baltimore County Police in 2018, and a jury came together on the decision to award the family with $38 million in damages.

However, a year later, a Baltimore County Circuit Court judge decided to walk back the decision, claiming police should be protected from being held responsible for killing someone when “carrying out their duties.” As of right now, a new report from the Baltimore Sun says that the decision to pay the family $38 million is still pending.

Complex Media reports that a Baltimore County official said that the amount the family was supposed to receive might be reduced “significantly.”