How much of the $3 million settlement actually goes to Andrew Brown's family?

Attorneys for the family of Andrew Brown Jr. and Pasquotank County Sheriff Tommy Wooten announced a $3 million settlement in the federal lawsuit surrounding Brown’s 2021 death at a news conference on Tuesday.

Attorneys say the Brown family is satisfied with this settlement, and Wooten says it’s part of an ongoing effort to build back trust with law enforcement in Elizabeth City. However, WRAL News asked direct questions to both the sheriff and attorneys that they’re not willing to answer.

When asked how much of the $3 million settlement will actually go to Brown's family, the attorneys said that was confidential.

"We made it clear this case was not about finance but about family," said Harry Daniels, an attorney for the Brown family "There's no amount of money that can recover or replace the loss that the family is experiencing."

The settlement, Daniels said, will take care of Brown's children for years to come.

"This case is about Andrew Brown Jr., nothing more, nothing less," says Daniels. "And about his children. Making sure that their dreams did not die with their father that day."

Daniels says as a result of the payout, the City Council Advisory Board will look more closely at cases dealing with law enforcement.

Wooten mirrored Daniels' statement, saying the sheriff's department has significantly improved their training after Brown's death and the nights of protest that followed in Elizabeth City.

Wooten acknowledged nothing he could say would ease the pain or loss, but he said, "I still want to give my sincerest condolences to the Brown family."

When asked if the settlement represented guilt on the part of Elizabeth City's deputies, Wooten responded, "I'm not going to answer that."

"This is about family, and the goal is to take care of Andrew Brown's children and his legacy," said Chantel Cherry-Lassiter, an attorney for the family.

Pasquotank County’s insurance policy, which was provided by the nonprofit North Carolina Counties Liability Pool, will pay the limits of its policy, which is $2 million. The remaining $1 million will be paid by a special appropriation approved by the Pasquotank County Board of Commissioners.

The county will make the payment to resolve any and all potential liability against the individual officers named as defendants in the lawsuit.