Stamford Paid $11.25 Million in Tommie Jackson Wrongful Death Settlement, What the Court Records Show

Can Other Stamford Residents Claim This Money?

No. The City of Stamford, Connecticut, paid $11.25 million to resolve litigation brought by the family and estate of Rev. Tommie Jackson, who died after being struck by a Stamford police cruiser in July 2023, according to probate court records reported by the Stamford Advocate on September 30, 2026.

This was not a class action. There is no public claim form, settlement website or deadline for other Stamford residents. The payment resolves claims belonging to Jackson’s estate and family.

The settlement was reached after mediation in 2025 and approved through the probate process in 2026. According to the probate records cited in the report, the estate ultimately received approximately $7.4 million after attorneys’ fees and other litigation-related expenses.

Quick Facts: Tommie Jackson Stamford Settlement

Detail	Information
Settlement amount	$11,250,000
Person who died	Rev. Tommie Jackson
Date of death	July 26, 2023
Defendant	City of Stamford, Connecticut
Police officer involved	Zachary Lockwood
Plaintiffs	Erin Jackson and Dorye Jackson, as co-administrators of Jackson’s estate (Dorye Jackson also proceeding individually)
Type of case	Wrongful-death and negligence litigation
Original case	Erin Jackson and Dorye Jackson, as Co-Administrators of the Estate of Tommie Jackson, et al. v. City of Stamford, et al.
Case number publicly indexed for the 2023 action	FBT-CV23-6129275-S
Court (as indexed)	Connecticut Superior Court, Judicial District of Fairfield at Bridgeport
Status	Paid and resolved
Reported amount to estate after fees and expenses	About $7.4 million
Public claim process	None
Class action	No

The 2023 case number comes from a publicly indexed court filing. A separate complaint filed in July 2025 also names Erin and Dorye Jackson and the City of Stamford, but its docket number wasn’t visible in the publicly accessible copy, so this article does not assign one to that filing.

What Happened to Rev. Tommie Jackson?

Rev. Tommie Jackson died on July 26, 2023, after being struck by a Stamford police cruiser while crossing Wire Mill Road near his home after getting his mail. The cruiser was driven by Stamford police Officer Zachary Lockwood, who was responding to another call.

Jackson’s family pursued civil litigation against the City of Stamford and Lockwood. The 2023 complaint named Erin Jackson and Dorye Jackson as co-administrators of the estate and named the city and Lockwood as defendants.

A later July 2025 complaint added allegations about Lockwood’s training and supervision, including that field-training reports had documented problems with driving, navigation and performance under stress. Those are allegations in a complaint, not findings made by a court after trial.

What Did the $11.25 Million Resolve?

A wrongful-death case is a civil proceeding seeking compensation for the losses tied to a person’s death. Connecticut General Statutes § 52-555 lets an executor or administrator bring an action for injuries resulting in death and recover damages from the legally responsible party, subject to the statute’s requirements and time limits. Claims against a Connecticut city for an employee’s negligence are also commonly brought under municipal-liability statutes such as § 52-557n and the employee-indemnification statute, § 7-465, depending on the facts.

The civil case is different from any criminal proceeding against an officer. A criminal case asks whether the government can prove an offense beyond a reasonable doubt, while a civil case concerns liability and money damages under a lower standard of proof.

A settlement doesn’t necessarily mean the defendant admitted the allegations. Reporting says the settlement agreement contains confidentiality and non-disparagement provisions limiting what the parties can say publicly about it.

Related article: MagMutual $12.23 Million Verdict Affirmed in Georgia Insurance Bad Faith Case Involving Dr. Ganesha Perera

How Much Did the Jackson Estate Receive?

The probate records cited in the September 30 report show the estate ultimately received about $7.4 million after attorneys’ fees and other expenses.

The reported settlement included a 30% attorneys’ fee. On an $11.25 million gross settlement, 30% would be about $3.375 million. The remaining gap between that and the reported $7.4 million suggests additional litigation-related expenses were also deducted. The exact breakdown should come from the probate records themselves rather than being reconstructed from the reported figures.

Why Did the Probate Court Review the Settlement?

Probate review is needed because the settlement was made on behalf of a deceased person’s estate. The estate’s co-administrators sought approval of the compromise, and the settlement was approved through the probate process after mediation in 2025, according to the records cited in the latest report. Connecticut’s Stamford Probate Court serves the city.

This is different from approving a class action. There was no public claims process or opt-out because the settlement involved the estate’s individual claims.

Does the Settlement Affect Other Stamford Residents?

No public compensation program has been identified. The $11.25 million resolved the Jackson family’s and estate’s litigation. It doesn’t create a fund for others. That means:

• no public claim form;
• no settlement website;
• no general eligibility test;
• no claim deadline;
• no public opt-out process; and
• no automatic payment to people who live in Stamford.

If you have a separate injury or wrongful-death claim involving the City of Stamford or its police, that’s a separate matter with its own facts and deadlines.

Connecticut’s Wrongful-Death Time Limits

Connecticut General Statutes § 52-555 generally requires a wrongful-death action to be brought within two years from the date of death, and also contains a five-year limit measured from the underlying act or omission. Claims against municipalities can involve additional notice requirements and other rules, so families shouldn’t assume the timing in the Jackson case applies to their situation.

What Does the Settlement Mean for Other Families?

The case shows one path a wrongful-death dispute can take: investigation, civil litigation, mediation or negotiation, estate review and settlement. It does not mean another family would receive a similar amount. Damages depend on the circumstances of the death, the law, the evidence, the losses claimed, insurance coverage, defenses and other factors.

If you’re dealing with a recent death, preserve documents, medical records, photographs, accident information and communications, and get advice about filing deadlines rather than relying on an unrelated settlement.

For another police-related wrongful-death settlement in a different state, see Cortez Bufford Family’s $1,687,483 Settlement With St. Louis Officer Lucas Roethlisberger Approved by Federal Judge.

Key Dates

Event	Date
Tommie Jackson dies after being struck by a police cruiser	July 26, 2023
Original civil lawsuit filed	November 2023
Original publicly indexed case number	FBT-CV23-6129275-S
Later complaint against Stamford and police officials	July 22, 2025
Settlement mediation	2025
Jackson family signs settlement release	January 20, 2026
Probate approval reported	February 20, 2026
Civil lawsuit withdrawal filed	February 23, 2026
$11.25 million payment reported from probate records	September 30, 2026

The settlement amount wasn’t disclosed in the March 2026 filing about the settlement. It became public through the probate records discussed in the September 30 report.

Frequently Asked Questions

Was the lawsuit a class action?

No. It was an individual wrongful-death dispute involving Jackson’s estate and family.

How much did Stamford pay?

$11.25 million, according to probate records cited in the September 30, 2026 report.

How much did the estate receive?

About $7.4 million after attorneys’ fees and other expenses, according to the same probate records.

Can Stamford residents file a claim?

No. There is no public claim form or compensation program.

Who filed the lawsuit?

Erin Jackson and Dorye Jackson, as co-administrators of Tommie Jackson’s estate. Dorye Jackson also brought claims in her individual capacity in the later complaint.

What is the case number?

The publicly indexed 2023 case is FBT-CV23-6129275-S. The later July 2025 complaint’s docket number was not visible in the publicly accessible copy reviewed, so it is not assigned here.

Did Stamford admit liability?

Public reporting doesn’t establish an admission of liability. The agreement reportedly contains confidentiality and non-disparagement provisions.

Does Connecticut allow wrongful-death suits after a fatal accident?

Yes. Conn. Gen. Stat. § 52-555 provides a statutory cause of action brought by an executor or administrator, subject to its requirements and time limits.

Is the settlement still open for claims?

No. It resolved the estate’s litigation, and there is no public claim period, application process or settlement administrator.

Bottom Line

The City of Stamford paid $11.25 million to resolve the wrongful-death litigation over Rev. Tommie Jackson’s July 2023 death, and the estate reportedly received about $7.4 million after fees and expenses. It was an individual case, not a class action, so there is no claim form or deadline for other residents.

This article is for informational purposes only and is not legal advice. Wrongful-death rights, filing deadlines and available remedies depend on the facts and applicable law. AllAboutLawyer.com is not a law firm and does not provide legal representation.

Sources & Court Records

1. Connecticut Superior Court complaint, Erin and Dorye Jackson, Co-Administrators, Estate of Tommie Jackson, et al. v. City of Stamford, et al., July 22, 2025.
2. Connecticut Superior Court filing indexed as No. FBT-CV23-6129275-S, Erin Jackson and Dorye Jackson, as Co-Administrators of the Estate of Tommie Jackson, et al. v. City of Stamford, et al.: https://trellis.law/doc/209099409/request-to-revise-request-to-revise-defendant-city-stamford
3. Connecticut General Statutes § 52-555 (actions for injuries resulting in death): https://www.cga.ct.gov/current/pub/chap_925.htm
4. Stamford Advocate, “Stamford paid $11.25 million to settle lawsuit over death of Rev. Tommie Jackson, records show,” September 30, 2026: https://www.stamfordadvocate.com/news/article/stamford-ct-tommie-jackson-settlement-22456459.php
5. Stamford Advocate, “Stamford settles lawsuit with family of pastor killed in police crash”: https://www.stamfordadvocate.com/news/article/stamford-reverend-tommie-jackson-lawsuit-settled-21961405.php
6. Connecticut Probate Courts, Stamford Probate Court: https://www.ctprobate.gov/courts/stamford-probate-court