Henderson Council OKs settlement in police shooting

By Jeremy Twitchell

Wednesday, Sept. 2, 2009 | 2:05 a.m.

The Henderson City Council on Tuesday unanimously approved a $700,000 settlement with the widower of a woman shot and killed by a Henderson police officer in 2008.

The settlement was listed on the Council’s consent agenda, meaning it was approved without discussion.

The woman, Deshira Selimaj, was shot by Officer Luke Morrison after she arrived at the scene where police had pulled over her husband, Zyber Selimaj, for a speeding violation.

A Clark County Coroner’s jury ruled the shooting justified after Morrison and other officers testified that Deshira Selimaj threatened her children and the officers with a knife, then lunged at one of the officers.

Zyber Selimaj filed a civil suit against the city of Henderson shortly after the coroner’s inquest, seeking $25 million for wrongful death.

When the city agreed to the $700,000 settlement in August, a Henderson spokeswoman said the city admitted no fault, but that city attorneys and officials decided it was in the city’s best interest to settle the case rather than spend the time and money associated with a jury trial.

Attorney Marc Saggese, who represented Zyber Selimaj in the civil case, said his client is satisfied with the outcome and ready to move on with his life.

Morrison is on paid administrative leave from the city, pending an internal affairs investigation, city officials have confirmed.

Morrison’s father-in-law has accused Morrison of carrying on an inappropriate relationship with Morrison’s 18-year-old sister-in-law, the man’s daughter, since she was 15. Henderson officials would not comment on whether the accusation was the reason for Morrison being placed on leave.