The legal action against the city of Knoxville and four police officers over the shooting death of 17-year-old Anthony Thompson Jr. in a bathroom at Austin East Magnet High School in 2021 has concluded. How quickly medical care was provided to Thompson was the central point of what remained of the lawsuit. City taxpayers are out almost $580,000. The Thompson family received only $50,000, with $27,000 going to their attorney, Margaret Held, and $23,000 to the family.
Thompson was killed April 12, 2021, after the officers converged in the Austin-East bathroom where he and a friend were hanging out as Thompson cooled off from an argument with his girlfriend earlier in the day.
The city paid a lot of money to four attorneys who represented different police officers. Former city law director Morris Kizer and his son, John, of the law firm of Gentry, Tipton and McLemore, received $191,448.74. They represented officer Jonathon Clabough, with Gary Prince and Craig Strand — formerly with the law firm of O’Neil, Parker and Williamson and representing officers Adam Wilson, Brian Baldwin and Stanley Cash — receiving $336,254.49. This firm has merged with Hodges, Doughty and Carson. The city also paid money to expert witnesses for expenses occurred…