Henry
TOWN OF MOUNT PLEASANT – The family of DJ Henry, the Pace University student who was shot and killed by a police officer in a shopping center parking lot in Thornwood back on October 17, 2010, has settled with the Town of Mount Pleasant for an undisclosed amount of money.
Their attorney, Michael Sussman of Goshen, said on Tuesday the monetary settlement comes in two parts, one to the DJ Henry Dream Fund and the other to the family itself.
The town said statements made on its behalf immediately following the shooting “do not fully or fairly represent the events of that early morning.”
Sussman said former Town Police Chief Louis Alagno told the media that morning that Henry had aggressively driven toward to police officers, causing them both to shoot at his vehicle and at him. The attorney said that was “untrue.”
Investigation revealed Henry was told to move his car from in front of a tavern in a shopping center parking lot and as he did so at a slow rate of speed, Officer Aaron Hess fired at the student killing him. Mount Pleasant Officer Ronald Beckley thought Hess was the aggressor and shot at him, not at the car or driver. That shot missed Hess.
A separate lawsuit against Hess was settled last year for $6 million.
Almost seven years have gone by, but Danroy Henry Sr., DJ’s father, said the emotion lingers.
“I think that changes a little bit every day for us. The constant, though, is the void left by losing our oldest son,” he said.
DJ’s mother, Angela, said the resolution to the legal cases restore her son’s reputation.
“DJ was trying to do the right thing that night. He wasn’t trying to disobey any orders. He was just trying to do what was asked of him, which was to move his car,” she said. “I hope people just remember his bright smile and gentle spirit.”
Sussman, meanwhile, said the issue of police shootings, unfortunately, continues.
“There is a tendency to function based on stereotype and defensiveness in these situations,” said the attorney who frequently handles civil rights issues. “We continue to see this weekly in America. This issue is almost seven years old for the Henry family, but there are other families experiencing this literally every week.”
The DJ Henry Dream Fund that was established following the student’s death has sponsored scholarships for young people who otherwise would not have been able to “participate in constructive after-school and summer activities,” a joint statement from the town and family read.
