City settles with officer in David Joseph shooting

Geoffrey Freeman, the former Austin Police Department officer who shot and killed 17-year-old David Joseph in February, settled with the city on Friday, Dec. 2. The $35,000 payout guarantees that Freeman will never work for APD again and allowed the city to cancel an arbitration meeting originally scheduled for today. Interim City Manager Elaine Hart said the agreement “eliminates any possibility that Mr. Freeman could return to APD.” City Council Member Ora Houston praised the deal in a statement: “I supported Chief (Art) Acevedo’s decision to terminate Officer Freeman’s employment, and I support Interim City Manager Hart’s decision to resolve Mr. Freeman’s employment dispute with the City without taking a chance during arbitration.”