A settlement has been finalized in the federal lawsuit filed over the death of Michael E. Bell.

Kenosha Mayor Keith Bosman confirmed on Tuesday afternoon that Bell’s family, attorneys for the family and the city had signed off on a settlement in the civil rights lawsuit filed after Bell’s death on Nov. 9, 2004.

Details of the settlement were not being released Tuesday, but Bell’s family has scheduled a press conference for 11 a.m. today, on what would have been Bell’s 27th birthday, at the Radisson Hotel, 11800 108th St., Pleasant Prairie.

The Kenosha City Council unanimously supported the details of the proposed settlement on Monday.

Bell, 21 at the time, was pulled over for a traffic stop on Nov. 9, 2004, by Kenosha Police officers. Bell allegedly ran from officers and resisted arrest and was shot and killed by officers during the incident.

Bell’s family — father Michael M. Bell, mother Kim Bell and sister Shantae Bell — filed a federal civil rights lawsuit, claiming that Michael E. Bell’s civil rights were violated during the incident.

A trial in the case was to begin in early April.

Police chief disappointed

In a press release issued Tuesday, Kenosha Police Chief John Morrissey expressed disappointment with the settlement, saying it was motivated by the city’s insurance company in an effort to “mitigate ongoing expenses and minimize potential exposure to an adverse judgment.”

Morrissey said investigations showed that officers acted within the department’s guidelines concerning the Bell incident.

“It is a sad day in this country when insurance companies are allowed to settle a case based on dollars, rather than what is just and right,” Morrissey said.

“It is disappointing and regrettable that the officers and the city of Kenosha were not afforded the opportunity to have the case heard by a jury, as I am confident the jury would have ruled the use of deadly force was justified.”

Bosman concurred with Morrissey’s take on the settlement.

“This is a financial settlement that was agreed to by the insurance companies,” Bosman said. “We stand by the officers and that there was no evidence of wrongdoing and no violations of policies and procedures by our officers. I stand by Chief Morrissey, and we stand by our officers on this matter.”