Family of Prince George's County man paralyzed in traffic stop settles lawsuit for $7.5M

PRINCE GEORGE'S COUNTY, Md. — Family of a Prince George's County man left paralyzed from the chest down after a 2019 traffic stop has settled their lawsuit against the county for $7.5 million. Attorneys and family members of Demonte Ward-Blake spoke at a press conference Thursday, calling it a sad day.

The family had originally filed a $75 million federal civil rights lawsuit against Prince George's County Police Officer Bryant Strong, the police department and the county back in February of 2022. 

Strong was later sentenced to one year in prison for the assault that left Ward-Blake paralyzed. 

On October 17, 2019, Strong initiated a traffic stop on a blue four-door Volkswagen on Brierfield and Wheeler Roads in Oxon Hill for displaying expired tags. During the officer's interaction with the driver, Ward-Blake, he unholstered his weapon. Ward-Blake then became "verbally agitated," but continued to cooperate and comply with the officer’s order, according to  State’s Attorney Aisha Braveboy's office.

After additional officers joined Strong, responding to the scene for backup, Ward-Blake was placed under arrest. Then, Strong stood Ward-Blake up near the passenger side of the police cruiser to conduct a search. Ward-Blake turned his body toward Strong during the search and Strong then pushed Ward-Blake against the cruiser to continue the search and took Ward-Blake to the ground. As a result, Ward-Blake sustained serious injuries that left him ultimately paralyzed from the chest down.

Police say Ward-Blake died on Aug. 1, 2021 months after he sustained injuries from a shooting on Nov. 21, 2020.

On Thursday, attorney Billy Murphy of the law firm Murphy Falcon & Murphy, thanked County Executive Angela Alsobrooks for approving the settlement, the second-largest for police misconduct in county history. He said it gave his mother, Rena Ward, civil justice.

"However, no financial settlement will ever undo the hurt, the pain, the heartache, that she and Demonte had to endure," Murphy said. 

"This is a sad day. It is a reverse celebration. It is a reminder of the tragedy caused by police brutality all over this country," Murphy said. 

Rena Ward also spoke briefly at the press conference.

"I'm so sad about this situation and money will never bring your lost ones back, but at the same time our voices need to be heard around the world about what's going on police brutality and families," Rena Ward said, "This needs to stop."