Jacob Blake withdrew his civil rights lawsuit against Kenosha officer Rusten Sheskey, who shot him in the back during a traffic stop in 2020, reported the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Following the shooting, protests ensued for the following days, leading to the shooting of a few demonstrators by Kyle Rittenhouse.
Blake filed a suit against Sheskey in March of 2021 alleging the officer used excessive force on him unprovoked, per CBS News. The suit claimed Blake was shot after he had dropped the knife he was holding into his vehicle and was trying to get back into the driver’s seat.
Sheskey had already avoided criminal charges from state prosecutors and the Department of Justice announced they wouldn’t pursue charges following their own investigation, per ABC7 Chicago. Blake’s sexual assault charges were dropped by prosecutors as part of a plea deal.
More from Milwaukee Journal Sentinel:
Blake sued Rusten Sheskey in March of last year but dismissed the action Friday, according to court records. A one-page stipulation signed by lawyers from both sides indicates they’ve agreed to dismiss the case with prejudice, meaning Blake can not refile the claim.
Nothing in the case file mentions a settlement and neither lawyer immediately returned messages Monday morning.
U.S. District Judge J.P. Stadtmueller signed an order granting the dismissal Monday.
In March 2021, Blake was shot while resisting arrest during a traffic stop. Reports say Blake charged at Sheskey with a knife but while he was getting back into his vehicle, he was shot in the back. As a result, he was paralyzed from the waist down.
There was no specific reasoning from either party why the lawsuit was being dismissed or whether a settlement was met, per ABC7. The two agreed to dismiss the case with prejudice which indicates Blake would not be able to refile the suit.