Family of Black man who died in Missouri jail offered $2.5M

CHARLESTON, Mo. (AP) – Relatives of a Black man from Tennessee who died in a Missouri jail in 2017 are being asked to accept $2.5 million to settle a lawsuit. But the family’s attorney is denying that a settlement has been reached.

The city of Charleston agreed earlier this month to pay the family of Tory Sanders $500,000. Court documents filed Wednesday say lawyers for Mississippi County jail employees and the former sheriff want a judge to force Sanders’ family to accept $2 million more to settle the rest of the case.

The family’s attorney said Thursday the county had changed the terms of a deal and no settlement is pending.