Council approves $3.75 million wrongful-death settlement after officer-involved shooting; debate on accountability and policy follows

The Portland City Council on Aug. 7 voted to approve a $3,750,000 settlement to resolve a wrongful-death lawsuit filed by the estate of Emmanuel “Manny” Clark arising from an officer-involved shooting on Nov. 19, 2022.

City attorneys and risk-management staff told council the case arose after officers stopped a vehicle they said matched the description of a car involved in an attempted robbery. Officer Christopher Satoff (identified in the council record by city staff) fired multiple rounds as Clark fled; Clark was struck in the back and later died at a hospital. Kerry Caldwell of the city attorney’s office and Chief Bob Day briefed council on the incident and on investigative findings.

Chief Bob Day explained the bureau’s use-of-force review process and said his decision not to discipline the involved officer was based on the legal standard of “objective reasonableness” drawn from the Supreme Court’s Graham v. Connor decision: "The reasonableness of a use of force is based on the totality of circumstances known by an officer at the time of action," he told council. Day said review bodies, including the Police Review Board and a grand jury, found differing results; he cited the formal processes that informed his conclusion.

Plaintiff counsel told council the vehicle Clark occupied did not contain the suspects from the robbery report and that video shows Clark running away and being shot in the back; attorneys and community witnesses said Internal Affairs had concluded the shooting violated bureau policy. Ashley Albee, one of the attorneys representing Clark’s estate, told the council the Internal Affairs investigator concluded the shooting was out of policy and that Mayor and Chief reversed that finding.

Risk manager Patrick Hughes explained the settlement funding: the city’s internal claims fund will front the payment and seek reimbursement from the city’s commercial excess liability insurer for amounts above the bureau’s $3,000,000 self-insured retention; roughly $750,000 will be covered by the carrier, Hughes said.

Public testimony and council debate were lengthy. Community groups and family members said the payment cannot replace the loss and urged broader policy changes; several councilors said they would vote to approve the settlement while pressing for clearer discipline and training reforms. Council discussion covered timing of medical aid (witnesses and staff reported about a 23–26 minute interval between the shooting and arrival of medical aid), whether the vehicle description justified a high-risk stop, internal-investigation findings (Internal Affairs cited the shooting as out of policy in its report, the Police Review Board voted 4–3 not to sustain that out-of-policy finding), and the role of training and oversight in preventing similar incidents.

The council adopted the settlement by roll call with 12 aye votes. No disciplinary actions were imposed on the dais as part of the settlement vote; Chief Day and councilors said they will continue policy and training work and that oversight conversations will continue after the legal matter concluded.