Washington State Not Negligent in Death of BLM Protester Summer Taylor, Family Sought $24M, Awarded $6M

Sep 12, 2024, 06:50 PM

A Seattle civil jury has determined that the State of Washington was not negligent in the death of Summer Taylor, a Black Lives Matter protester who was struck by a car during a protest on I-5 in 2020. The jury found the driver, Dawit Kelete, negligent for driving up the exit ramp and hitting the protesters. Despite the state's non-liability, the jury awarded $6 million to Taylor's family, who had sought $24 million in damages. This verdict concludes the civil trial over Taylor's death, which has been a significant case concerning state responsibility and protester safety.