New Rochelle Agrees to Settle Garris Lawsuit for $250,000

NEW ROCHELLE, NY (April 14, 2025) — The City of New Rochelle has agreed to pay $250,000 to settle a lawsuit filed by the family of Jarrel Garris, who was fatally shot by a city police detective in 2023, according to a proposed ordinance amending the city’s 2025 budget.

The payment will use funds appropriated fund balance.

The settlement resolves the case titled “Estate of Jarrel Garris, Raymond Fowler, and Janet Garris v. City of New Rochelle and Det. Steven Conn,” filed in Westchester County Supreme Court under index number 71208/2024. The lawsuit stemmed from the death of Jarrel Garris, a 37-year-old Black man killed by Detective Steven Conn on July 3, 2023, following a confrontation over an alleged theft of fruit from a local grocery store. Garris died a week later on July 10, 2023.

The ordinance, labeled Ordinance No. 212 of 2024, authorizes the payment to Garris’ family as part of the city’s 2025 budget adjustments. The settlement comes after a 14-month investigation by the New York State Attorney General’s Office of Special Investigation, which concluded in September 2024 that Conn’s use of deadly force was legally justified because Garris had reached for an officer’s gun during a struggle. No criminal charges were filed against Conn.

Garris’ family, represented by attorney William Wagstaff III, had argued that Conn escalated a minor, nonviolent situation and failed to use de-escalation tactics, especially given Garris’ documented mental health struggles, including schizophrenia, and substance abuse issues. A toxicology report confirmed Garris had PCP in his system at the time of the incident.

The case sparked community protests and calls for police reform in New Rochelle, with advocates criticizing the use of lethal force in response to a petty theft. In January 2025, New Rochelle Police Commissioner Robert Gazzola stated that an internal investigation found no policy violations by the officers involved that would have prevented the outcome. The department committed to reviewing recommendations for improved training on de-escalation and use-of-force policies.