Charlie Shelton-Ormond
This is Tested from WUNC, a look at how we're responding to the day's challenges in North Carolina in the South. I'm Charlie Shelton Ormond.
Kimberly Suber
I've never doubted it. I never doubted it. We knew that it would happen. Of course we never anticipated to happen, you know, to take this long but I never had doubt.
Charlie Shelton-Ormond
For more than three years Kimberly Suber has been waiting. She's been waiting, and working alongside her parents for something close to closure. And earlier this month, it came
Chuck Watts (sound clip)
The City of Greensboro and the family of Marcus Deon Smith has reached an agreement to resolve the lawsuit brought by the estate of Marcus Dion Smith.
Charlie Shelton-Ormond
This is Greensboro city attorney Chuck Watts during a Greensboro city council meeting at the beginning of February,
Chuck Watts
Importantly to these parties, the total settlement of $2,570,000, majority of which will be paid by the City of Greensboro and the remainder by Guilford County will financially benefit both the parents of Marcus Dion Smith and his children.
Kimberly Suber
This has been a long time coming and, um, in my opinion, I think the City of Greensboro has been wanting to, you know, take care of this and you know, put it behind all of us.
Charlie Shelton-Ormond
In September 2018, Marcus Smith died at the hands of police in Greensboro. A group of officers restrained Marcus Smith during a mental health crisis. The officers bowed his hands to his feet, as he laid on his stomach, an extremely dangerous maneuver called "hogtying." Marcus Smith became unresponsive and was declared dead soon after.
Chuck Watts
And will formally acknowledge with a commemorative plaque that Marcus Dion Smith life matter.
(sound of phone ringing)
Kimberly Suber
Hey, Charlie
Charlie Shelton-Ormond
Hey, Kimberly, how are you?
Kimberly Suber
I'm good, how are you? I'm just ripping around all morning.
Charlie Shelton-Ormond
I first met with Kimberly Suber last summer and spoke with her about her brother. I recently got back in touch and talked with her over the phone, about the settlement, and a long three years.
Kimberly Suber
I think I was at work when I got the news that they agreed to a settlement. So I was really relieved. It was really, it felt like a ton of bricks, honestly, that was just like lifted off of me. Because I know my parents, it's just it's unsettling, just to know, that it's been so long. And just to know that now we're at the end of it is just a sigh of relief.
Charlie Shelton-Ormond
And you shared earlier that you never really doubted that this would come. Why is that?
Kimberly Suber
When they ruled my brother's death a homicide, I knew something had to take place like you just can't walk away from a word homicide. So that's where my confidence came from. I just knew you know that the powers that be had to take care of, you know, his death. And it was a homicide. So that's where my confidence came from.
Charlie Shelton-Ormond
Yeah. Something that I've seen in, you know, reports about the settlement and other folks talking about it are two words that are big words that have a lot of meaning. It can mean a lot of different things for different folks. One of them is justice. And another one is closure. And I'm curious to hear how both of those words resonate with you.
Kimberly Suber
Closure, definitely one. Justice, that's kind of a vague word, I would say because, you know, no amount of settlement will be okay in the place of my brother. Like, his life was invaluable. Like, you know, his life meant way more than any amount. So I don't even really know about the word justice. But it is closure.
The only thing that we want to convey as a family is you know, we we push forward as hard as we did because we don't want another family to go through what we went through. So if it took for us, you know, blood, sweat and tears to save someone else and have a family not go through what we went through, it was well worth every moment.
Charlie Shelton-Ormond
Kimberly, thanks so much for taking the time to talk with me.
Kimberly Suber
Yes, yes, yes. And anytime you need me, Charlie, just reach out and let me know.
Charlie Shelton-Ormond
Thank you. I appreciate that.
Kimberly Suber
Thank you, I'll talk to you soon. Absolutely.
Charlie Shelton-Ormond
That's it for this episode of Tested. I'm Charlie Shelton-Ormond. Thanks for listening.