St. Paul to pay $350K settlement to man who was shot by police while on the run for assaulting ex-girlfriend
A man who was shot by St. Paul police while he was hiding in a dumpster after sexually assaulting and kidnapping his ex-girlfriend will receive a $350,000 settlement from the city.
Joseph Javonte Washington was naked an unarmed when police shot him on Nov. 28, 2020. He survived and is serving three decades for sexual assault and kidnapping. However, a recent lawsuit questioned whether all of those shots from police were necessary.
His shooting prompted protests in St. Paul, and the officer who fired the shots was fired and never faced charges.
Washington sued St. Paul for excessive force behind bars.
"It's a very unique set of circumstances," said attorney Joe Tamburino. "Rarely do you see this happening.
The St. Paul City Council approved the settlement on Wednesday.
"Because you're a convicted felon, doesn't mean you lose access in rights to the court system," said Tamburino.
"I think the response is going to be different for everybody. There's no one-size-fits-all," said Ashley Taylor-Gougé, the executive director of the Minnesota Coalition Against Sexual Assault.
She said it's important to remember there's a survivor behind the headlines.
WCCO reached out to several St. Paul city council members and the mayor, but didn't hear back.
Sexual Assault Resources
- (SOS – Ramsey County)
- Sexual Violence Center (SVC – Hennepin County)
- Aurora Center (U of MN)
- 360 Communities (Dakota County)
- Hope Center (Rice County)
- Canvas Health (Washington County)
- Alexandra House (Anoka County)
General Sites for information related to sexual assault and resources throughout Minnesota:
General Sexual Assault Websites:
