DOJ Agrees to Settle in $30M Ashli Babbitt Lawsuit
S E E D E D C O N T E N T
Kipp JonesMay 3rd, 2025, 7:00 pm Twitter share button
AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana, File
The Department of Justice has agreed in principle to settle a $30 million wrongful death lawsuit filed by the family of Ashli Babbitt, the woman fatally shot by a Capitol Police officer during the January 6, 2021, riot at the US Capitol.
The settlement was disclosed during a Friday hearing before U.S. District Judge Ana Reyes in Washington, D.C., according to ABC News.
The exact terms remain confidential, but a final agreement could be signed by the end of the month.
Babbitt, a 35-year-old Air Force veteran and vocal Trump supporter, was shot while attempting to climb through a broken window leading to the Speaker's Lobby, where members of Congress were sheltering.
Officer Michael Byrd, who fired the shot, was previously cleared of wrongdoing following an internal Capitol Police investigation and a separate DOJ review.
The family's lawsuit, filed in January 2024, alleged Byrd used excessive force and claimed the government failed to properly train officers to handle the situation.
The case took an unexpected turn when one of Babbitt's former attorneys filed an emergency motion to secure payment for past legal work. That motion prompted the Friday court hearing.
Robert Sticht, who represents the Babbitt family, confirmed the two sides had agreed in principle, though the case remains open until the deal is finalized.
President Donald Trump has frequently championed Babbitt's cause, referring to her death as a "murder" and calling for justice.
In a March interview, Trump said he was unaware of the lawsuit but described Babbitt as "a really good person" and a "big MAGA fan."
Last February, Trump blamed Babbitt's death on Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-CA).
"I think it was an insurrection caused by Nancy Pelosi," Trump told reporters from Mar-a-Lago. "This was an insurrection, if it was an insurrection, which, there were no guns, there were no anything, except for the fact that they shot Ashli Babbitt."
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Now the families of dead traitors are being paid off by the Trump government.
a pity that the CPD weren't issued shotguns and AR's that day ...
[✘]
Ashley Babbitt shouldnt have died, she should have gone to prison for 10 years.
But she decided to put herself in a situation where the police had no choice but to shoot her.
This is just more of Trump trying to spin what happened during his Jan 6 crime spree.
This abuse of taxpayer dollars has been going on for 50 years. Now both parties are engaging in it.
She was unarmed and no threat to the cowardly POS who murdered her.
If the shooter was white and Ashley was black, you would have outraged.
Hundreds of peaceful protestors were held for months without representation or due process
That is untrue. Ashley Babbitt was in official government professional space UNINVITED. Materials were being broken, swaths of people were illegally seizing, breaking, and all-around threatening abuse of persons in congress. A line (barrier) had been established and unfortunately for Ms. Babbitt she set out to cross it. . . which would have placed the ENTIRETY of present congress persons in harms way of an 'oozing' mod of people carrying unknown paraphernalia into the chamber.
Ms. Babbitt, was in the wrong place, at the wrong time, and for the wrong purpose.
Facts matter.
If Facts matter, why didn't you ask why the security guards were pulled from the area that was holding back the protesters which Babbit was one?
If Facts matter, why didn't the CPO show himself rather than hide in a doorway and shot without warning?
If Facts matter, why did the CPO break a cardinal rule of not know what was behind what he was shooting at?
Ms. Babitt deserved to be in jail, not in a grave.
See the continuing discussion below. It's all there. Ask good questions;get good answers!
The area was not guarded; the CPO was hiding out of sight.
You have this crazy notion that anyone could hear anything. The CPO should have been in front of the doors with his weapon drawn and nothing would have happened!
You need to 'get caught up' - that is, watch relevant video of the precise event of the unfortunate Ashli Babbitt shooting. The area was unguarded outside the Speaker's Lobby where representatives were still on-site hunkered down as directed by CPOs, because approximately 300 trespassers were immediately in the vicinity attempting to CRASH through a thrown together BARRICADE the CPOs had established to SECURE the space inside where congressional members were couching down in LOCKDOWN.
The CPO that fired the shot did so from a SECURED spot (cover inside a door way) where he would be protected should anyone who was shattering glass and applying poles and other paraphernalia against the barricaded door FIRE BACK. See picture below:
The doorway on the right is the perfect place to protect oneself from trespassing crashing through and 'storming' the LOBBY area. And area that is full of history and the doorway being protected actually 'lets' onto the capital floor (along this hallway there are several such doors. See the video detailing the rich history and layout of the area: .
She was breaking into a house and was killed doing so. Had she tried to break into my house, the result would have been the same.
Oops!
The door on the left side of the picture (facing it headon).
Signed,
George Floyd.
So if I break into your house, and you're armed....you won't shoot me because...it's wrong?
Exactly. In this case, this is the most public and important house in the country! And MAGAs are "A-OK!" with it being overrun and wasted by their associates! Somebody might get the IMPRESSION that MAGAs think that the Capitol belongs to them such that they can do with it whatsoever they want up to and including 'trash the place'
flat out lie.
He must be talking about how the Republicans' hero Putin treats peaceful protestors in Russia.
Her family must be pleased. It’s a win-win for them.
Extended Interview: Capitol Police Lt. Michael Byrd Speaks Out
At 31 minutes 40 seconds Mr. Byrd breaks down into tears, though let me be clear that is not the main focus (or intent) of the video. The man from start to finish is explaining what happened, his duties and activities that day, Ashley's moment of death (from inside the lobby of the capital's main chamber), and how it makes him feel afterwards
I encourage others to watch the entirety of this video for a full-comprehension of the facts as the officer sees it.
The video can be speeded up using the Youtube settings ("cog-wheel").
So they are settling for the only person that was killed that day. The officer that pulled the trigger should have been fired and appropriately charged.
Charged with what exactly? More to the point: Since you 'tabled' it. . . will this version of DOJ charge Capitol Police Lt. Michael Byrd? Should he be worried?
Lets start with, at a minimum, manslaughter.
Charge him with what? Did he pull the trigger?
Manslaughter? He shot her (he pulled the trigger) because she trespassed into a sensitive area where she did not belong and was not invited by the authorities warning her to stay back. She was warned (as if the barricaded room was not enough) to "STOP" - she did not.
Did Ashli Babbitt attempt to ingress a secured space in the Capitol building without permission and against warning by the authorities? Please proceed. . . .
There was a plethora of LEO's right behind her and the rest of the fools, and they didn't seem to sense any imminent danger from the "activities" right before their eyes..................Otherwise, they would never have made it as far as they did.
Kind of hard to studder in a text conversation. Yes, manslaughter. And I'm being lenient.
It's good to see the liberal wing of the US rooting for the police to execute people without due process, wonder if they will extend to people of color who don't follow the polices instructions.
Magic Eight Ball says "doubtful".
Did Ashli Babbitt attempt to ingress a secured space in the Capitol building without permission and against warning by the authorities? Please proceed. . . .
Who warned her? The Keystone Cop on the other side of the door? I'm sure she and all the others heard it over the turmoil right? Probably should cite your source for that to clarify for all members here.
So much for law enforcement protocols and procedures, as I detect that MAGAs are out of bounds of the 'right' treatments that they insist others receive. Ashli Babbitt lost her life over being in the wrong place at the wrong time for the wrong reason.
Why not? It does not get more official than for a fully grown and fully informed WOMAN to know that she should not trespass into an official and guarded area where she plans to DISOBEY LAWFUL ORDERS/INSTRUCTIONS to not enter any farther. Miss Babbitt's due process (the claim you are making) could not take place, as she did not make it to the stage of being ARRESTED.
The cop was judge, jury, and executioner then. Good to know you seem to approve of such action.
That was thrown out when this "cop" was still permitted to work as in law enforcement after on the job weapons violations.
That is something to take up with them.
So you are good with, for lack of a better term, murder.
If this was any conservative's private property, they would be shouting about the stand your ground doctrine. Instead, they are defending the insurrectionist, likely because they see themselves in her. Angry, bitter, pissed off at the government and brain washed by moronic conservative dipshits on rightwing radio who, without ANY evidence, claimed voter fraud in the 2020 election and thus felt justified in attempting to stop the constitutionally mandated peaceful transfer of power. These conservatives are not beholden to the constitution, they're not "Real Americans" in the sense that they would put country before party as was proven that day as they tried to overturn a free and fair election and install their populist leader into power.
That officer was doing his job, and he did it well. Anyone saying otherwise should and would be ashamed of themselves if they actually consider themselves a patriotic American who loves and protects the constitution. He should be given a medal for his acts of heroism defending our elected representatives.
So much for supporting the LEO (until its one of your own that is in the wrong). I support what this officer did, because I have seen the video of the incident. Ms. Babbitt hoisted herself up onto the ledge of a broken-in window inside the Capitol where members of congress were hunkered down against rioters who had overran the capitol grounds and the building itself. She attempted to step through a busted window UNINVITED; she did not follow the LEO's INSTRUCTION to "STOP!"; she stepped across the 'threshold' with intent to enter a secured space with intent to have other rioters follow after her 'example.' Unfortunately, she was killed.
It does not need any approval from me. I am merely an observer of fact(I saw the video. You can too. It's on Youtube). I am sorry that you disapprove of an LEO doing his job to protect leaders of this country from an ignorant protestor who by her own actions crossed the line.
Exactly. They don't care about the country or the constitution, they only care about themselves and their rightwing conservative agenda. If the parties had been switched and they were Biden supporters attacking the capital that day to prevent Donald Trump from being certified they would all be celebrating this officers' actions and calling him a hero. The rightwing conservative hypocrisy truly knows no bounds.
I posted video for all to see/ingest at 4 above. I can't make anyone here watch it. The officer states that he shouted warning. Ms. Babbitt should have been in 'better' surroundings to be able to hear, or halted her ingress into the SECURED/BARRICADED lobby of the house floor where congressional leaders where hunkered down under security protocols and she was NOT WELCOMED OR INVITED.
I encourage others to watch the entirety of this video for a full-comprehension of the facts as the officer sees it.
The video can be speeded up using the Youtube settings ("cog-wheel").
Well perhaps you missed the things leading up to the mob gathering ...........take a gander here.......
Key words, "as the officer saw it". Watch what I linked above.
No more so than a secret service officer who be so if he shot and killed someone in the line of duty, when they neglect to follow proper instructions. Let's be clear, Ms. Babbitt was given instructions-she did not follow them. Furthermore, only a fool would have attempted to step through a police BARRICADE expecting to be received 'happily.' Only a fool.
No, this is about a black man officer of the law, shooting a white woman MAGA 'superior,' and the thinking goes-she is above the 'inferior' that shot her for disobeying capitol police instructions and trespassing into a secured space on capitol grounds and inside the capitol itself. Call it what it is.
Why the hell do you produce this propaganda bullshit for us? What is this? Why is this fool anchor letting this man waste her time with bullshit?! Get the video itself of the incident IN CONTEXT and leave the 'chatty' so-called, "journalist" out of it. What a waste of time. You must take me for a 'fool.' I assure you I am not. And no I won't produce the incident video for you. BTW, if it as just a 'tour' of the capital. . . security measures would not have been heightened. But, as a veteran, I am sure you understand that already.
You're digressing. We're done here.
I am going to call it what it is. It is the same of sorry shit that minorities and the poor have been complaining about for two centuries in this country: White privilege, Christian privilege, Liberty privilege, and Freedom privilege for MAGA conservatives only. MAGAs, "otherize" the rest of us as secondary citizens who should know their place in the hierarchy.
MAGAs could not be more clear, than if they were standing on top of the White house-ringing a bell, and shouting "White Christian Liberties and Freedoms!" at the top of their lungs!
These jerks already have and continue to tell us what WE are to them; nothing, but their 'help.' That includes all liberals, all secularists, perceived minority groups, and anybody they do not classify as 'white Christian nationalists.' Call it what it is!
By whom? You can't possibly be listening to and buying the words in your linked video by a man trying to save his own ass are you?
Provide real, tangible proof that she was warned. Again, watch the video. She even was up there first offering water if they wanted it. THREE cops standing AT the door........not behind it. If she was that close, again, why the fuck didn't they stop it and turn her around while they had the advantageous position in anticipation of others to follow?
It seems you are just flailing with your commentary to justify his and, seemingly, your opinions
He was on the official side of the barricade. She was on the trespassing side. She attempted to cross into his protected 'domain' against his demand THAT SHE STOP INGRESSING through across an internal broken window pane into his surrounding where he was DUTY SWORN to protect congressional leaders who were cowering and hunkered down from the rioters who were acting aggressively and breaking capitol property.
Don't worry about what I think. Get a full context video rather than a fake, partisan, 'wipers' account of the situation (it is on Youtube or at least it used to be). This time, I won't be posting it for you or anybody else. Actually, I posted it on NT when it happened in an article. I recommend you access the NT search feature and seek it out with keywords like: 'Ashli Babbitt shot video' or some such mixture of words.
We're done here.
I provided the pre "shit-hit-the-fan" leading up to it.
Just a tour of the Capitol? Who thought that with a mob outside the building? Nice try, though. They had warning that "something" may happen and they fucked up with their lack of preparations IF anything. Anyone who thought it was a tour is a dumbass and should have been fired for dumbassery alone.
Get the context video of the scene at the door being battered and glass broken out leading into the house chamber where congressional leaders and members of their staff plus CAPITOL POLICE where hunkered down and SECURE during a riot taking place on the capitol grounds and leading up to and inside the capitol building itself.
Other than that, we do not need to digress. My only point for mentioning the world, "tour" was because some of the rioters where using that term to describe their actions and activities of others. Ridiculous as that sounds. Because you can't have any kind of a tour doing a LOCKDOWN. But, I digress.
Find video of the situation itself on Youtube. Watch it. Post it—if you're moved to do so. We will discuss it. I will not indulge a 'sliced' account of the shooting incident out of context with someone doing more expressing of his opinion than fact/s! That is a waste of time.
I posted the video link above to show what was happening prior to. If you want to start at the window bashing, be my guest. She still shouldn't have been a victim of shoot to kill no matter what. And yes, discussing this with you is a waste of time.
Now you are just badgering the subject.
We have been over this many times. Ashley Babbitt tried to enter the House Of Representatives for the purpose of overthrowing a presidential election. She was a traitor. She didnt deserve to die for that since that would be for a judge and jury to argue out.
However, she tried to violently enter a completely restricted area through a window on a door that was locked and barricaded. To say the cop should have just let her in is completely ridiculous. She might have then overpowered the cop and opened the door for the rest of the mob to rush in. And then representatives lives would have been in danger. The cop did what he had to do and her family should not be getting a dime from the federal government.
Wrongful death is wrongful death. Ask George Floyd's parents ($27million) or Michael Brown's ($1.5 million).
Then that's the second of two reasons the cop shouldn't have a job if he could've been "overpowered" by Babbitt. I'd sure feel safe knowing he was on the job....................../S
First, the scenarios you listed are not equal—contexts matters. Just ask the authorities whom I am sure had the right-wing point of view expressed to them as they decided to 'pay out' from the city 'fund.'
Second, Ashley Babbitt was not entitled to be permitted to penetrate the premises (her being a female is an aside - because as a female she should not have been hopping up and trying to step through a window frame) on to the capitol house floor. Further, the 'message' would have been delivered that others could 'proceed' behind her with a non-stop 'flow' maneuver.
This ended bad for Ms. Babbitt, and it actually broke my heart. I was aggrieved over her because her life was wasted in a futile effort at stopping a just process from occurring. . . that occurred anyway.
And, by the way, I do observe that you have not expressed any retrospection on account of the people with Ms. Babbitt who did not pull her down and away from her 'committed' act of attempting to ingress the barricaded capitol floor where congressional leaders and staffing was hunkered down and under the protection of Capitol Police.
As her acquaintances, they had an obligation to stop her/help her to not commit the act that caused her life!
Believe me, nobody cares.
So DON'T use what the J6 Committee gave you. I could have told you that.
So you'll have no problem linking that article.
No you go ahead, do an NT general search for, 'Ashley Babbitt shot' video or some such thing. My experience with NT's search is it has IMPROVED significantly as of recent. I find what I want to backtrack on there. As for me doing it for you, well, let's just say. . . I don't feel inspired to help this time around.
And Jeremy, no I won't "believe" you either. It simply won't be that easy for any MAGAs who want and intent to otherize and repress their fellow citizens tp be trusted with the written or spoken word. Everything MAGAs write or state (as the case will be) must be 'stress-tested' for its truthiness.
So you DON'T have any links to back up your claim. Not that anybody is surprised.
Well, if you don't wish to or can't look it up on NT search engine. . . got to Youtube. I see it there when I take time to look it up (30 seconds find!) (Hint:
Video shows fatal shooting of Ashli Babbitt in the Capitol - The Washington Post
Now then, I can't do any more for MAGA.
just some things I gathered from highlighting Ashley Babbitt and clicking on the green check mark. I did it for fun and to see what would come up
death by penis envy ...
Why did the three cops standing at the door leave? Left it wide open for anything. They should be disciplined for leaving...........including accessory to manslaughter........perhaps
That is a long winded way to say you can't find it.
Those officers left because of the 'discussion' that was held between them and the rioters who insisted they would overrun the three officers (alone there). . . however, 'they' are not the issue here. The trespassers trying to break into "Speaker's Lobby" demolished the glass in the door frames and ignored commands to "Stop" - which they were making so much 'ambient' noise themselves they obviously did not hear anything other than their own shouts!
Apparently, seeing and shouting repeatedly, 'Gun!" "There's a gun." And pointing to it did not impress on any or enough of the rioters to respect the doors in front of them. They persisted. And unfortunately, Ashli Babbitt took it a step farther and tried to press her way across the threshold into a SECURED space by Capitol Police "On Duty."
Of course, you have a source for that.
Thanks in advance.
Oh, and lest I forget, they ARE the issue here. Not only did GovCo NOT prepare for what was possibly going to happen, but officers, with rifle laden more officers behind the "protesters", were right there. The guard was a pussy. Other officers seemingly were content to let them have their way until the shot.
And threshold? At best, she was attempting to go through a window and didn't even get halfway up to finish.. Not a door............
Source?
@11 seconds and @37 seconds in YOUR posted video. Listen to the 'discussion' being delivered from the rioters to the three officers (also near the 'top' of the video).
You're welcome.
Additional officers were there on the scene, they appear to be accessing what was occurring, then took 'control' of the crowd AFTER the officer on the other side of the door fired!
As for 'threshold' well, windows can be ingressed too. And so this window (next to a set of similar doors was! (But thank you for the semantics lesson, nevertheless.
@5.1.44
UPDATE: The three officers moved aside because the Tactical Unit (Police) arrived on the scene. But before they could take charge and control. . . the rioters banged and Ashli Babbitt attempted to breach the Speaker's Lobby (into the house floor) where members of congress were being secured by auhorities (LEOs).
See:
Youtube.
Inside the U.S. Capitol at the height of the siege | Visual Forensics
@11.53.
The three officers held the protesters the entire time without being harmed, yet this pussy CPO decides to kill an unarmed female, do you even look at what you type and try to make sense of it?
I believe the members of congress were gone, you can see them leaving in the beginning of the video, that's why the hall was empty.
You're mistaken. There are other and longer videos that will give you a fuller picture. . .but you will have to do the work to get them (as I have done) because I am not going to be anybody's 'archivist' this time around.
I have supplied several titles (for Jeremy and "Just Jim") where you can look up. (Hint: see Youtube video @5.1.46 timestamp 11:34.)
See, I can be a nice helpful guy too!
One more thing: The CPO you are mislabeling a "pussy" fired from cover as he was trained to do in a hostile UNKNOWN situation. As video points out (and several MAGAs in this discussion have dismissively established) the riot NOISES, sounds of wood and glass breaking against the BARRICADED doors of the Speaker's Lobby is DEAFENING. Thus, the officer was appropriate to respond as one in defense of members of congress and himself when Ms. Babbitt unfortunately took the occasion to try to step through a broken in and collapsed window on THE SPEAKER'S LOBBY which lets onto the House Floor where members of congress were still hunkered down for their protection from the rioters.
The rioters (see the video) was telling those officers that they were not going to be harmed. . . immediately, unless they did not get out of the way. The rioters (approximately 300 of them were stating more like them were on the way up to that spot and those three officers would be overwhelmed.) BTW, those three officers moved aside (not because they were "pussies," but because the Metropolitan Police was arriving on the scene, but had not fully and properly engaged the rioters (from their entry on an adjoining stairwell area.) before Ms. Babbitt inserted her body through the window 'threshold' and was shot and eventually died.
Inside the U.S. Capitol at the height of the siege | Visual Forensics (Youtube)
Note: the video image shows that the three officers (or at least one officer) has a pistol on himself. A (better) question could be: Why did 'they' not use it to 'command' the rioters to step back?
Still that gives the rioters no cover for what they are perpetrating (a crime of destruction in a threating and dangerous manner) on the barricaded Speakers Door that lets onto the House Floor where our congress persons were hunkered down under CPO protection against an onslaught being executed just feets way.
She didn't need to be violent to break in. Hello?
That was breaking into the US Capitol... She fucked around and found out. Break into my house, same result. I am betting that if she was a liberal breaking into a conservatives house you would be screaming how great it is that she's dead.
Again, source?
Bashing down a door IS a violent act. End of story.
Where did she bash down a door? Seems to me others were doing the bashing, looking at the videos
Can you fucking read? I said "The three officers held the protesters the entire time without being harmed" . Byrd is the pussy who hid in the doorway and shot an unarmed female without warning.
Because they didn't need to, the protester were not trying to harm them. You keep using the term "rioters" please explain how these "rioters" were held back by three officers the entire time without being harmed. Those were the best behaved "rioters" I have ever seen.
If that's the case, why is Byrd killing unarmed people down the hall without warning that were not threat to him?
So you're good with police shooting unarmed civilians without warning. If that's the case why were there not thousands murdered that day?
Who must have your people mixed up. You don't address me that way. We're done here. Come back with a civil tongue 'next' time. And no, I did not get pass, ". . . fucking. . . . "
See:
Youtube.
Inside the U.S. Capitol at the height of the siege | Visual Forensics
@11.53.
the officer should have put a bullet in her head as soon as it passed thru the opening ...
Maybe they should have been.
So you are saying she was so fucking stupid she had no idea what she was doing was a criminal act? Really? LOL
Just Jim, you had better look at some footage of Ashli sitting on the window frame shifting her weight to leaning forward into a jump down inside the SECURED AREA, unfortunately for her she did not make it inside the 'area' and succumbed to her injury.
I wonder how much of that $30 million ashli's skank mom has to kick back to trumpski?
I'm guessing $10 million ...