Dane County officials and the estate of late University of Wisconsin student Brittany Zimmermann settled last week, a law firm representing Dane County announced.
According to a statement from Madison law firm Bell, Moore & Richter, Dane County will donate $5,000 to the Zimmermann reward fund and $2,500 to the Zimmermann family’s attorney.
The statement also said the Zimmermann family did not sue Dane County out of a desire for money, rather to set a precedent ensuring a similar case does not happen in the future. The firm also said Dane County believes it did not violate any laws.
“Dane County maintains it has complied with all applicable laws and regulations, but believes this settlement is in the public interest as it provides resolution for the family and community and saves further expense of ongoing litigation,” the statement said.
Joshua Wescott, spokesperson for Dane County Executive Kathleen Falk, said the settlement prevents any involved parties from further commenting on the settlement.
Earlier this year, a group of Wisconsin media outlets including the Wisconsin State Journal and the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel also reached a settlement with Dane County in a lawsuit to access open records to 911 tapes connected to the case.
Additionally, the Zimmermann family dropped their wrongful death lawsuit against the county earlier this year.
Zimmermann was killed in April 2008 at her apartment on Doty Street. Her killer has not yet been found and police have not announced any major leads in the case, though Madison Police have previously stated the investigation of her murder is active and ongoing.
MPD spokesperson Joel DeSpain said earlier this year the amount of information investigators have collected is “mind-boggling.”
The lawsuits against Dane County began when Zimmermann’s murder exposed a possible problem with the county’s 911 dispatch system. After calling 911 from her cell phone, police arrived at the scene of her murder too late to prevent the murder or arrest anyone in connection with the crime.
The incident set off a chain of changes in Dane County’s public safety policy, including the resignation of 911 Center Director Joe Norwick and an increase in funding for 911 technology in the county budget throughout previous years.
