Milwaukee 15-year-old Dennis King murdered, city moves to settle lawsuit

MILWAUKEE – After Milwaukee 15-year-old Dennis King was brutally murdered in May 2018, his mother filed a lawsuit against the city. Milwaukee moved to settle the suit for tens of thousands of dollars on Monday, Sept. 11. 

King’s mother argued the city and its employees were negligent and sued. 

“The city is requesting to settle this matter for $50,000,” said Anthony Jackson, assistant city attorney, during a committee meeting Monday. 

The item was hard to miss on the agenda, but for King’s family, it was years in the making.

In 2018, Malik Terrell was convicted and sentenced to life without parole for killing King. 

“This is a brutal, violent, sadistic act,” said Judge David Borowski at sentencing.

Terrell pleaded guilty to beating King, hitting him with a hammer and stabbing him before taking his body to an abandoned home and burning it.

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“It just breaks my heart that you tortured my baby like that,” said Dombanee Lincoln, King’s mother. “He didn’t deserve that,”

Early on in the attack, Terrell called 911 on himself.

“The caller had contacted the Telecommunications Division, indicated he had threatened and beating up a victim who was bleeding badly,” said Jackson.

He even gave his name and address.

“Unfortunately, the operator incorrectly recorded the wrong address,” said Jackson. 

Officers showed up at the wrong place.

“And the caller continued to beat up this kid, and he was, unfortunately, killed,” said Jackson. “His body was discovered nine days later.”

King’s mother sued the city, saying they didn’t follow procedure when they failed to verify the address. She said that led to her son’s death.

The committee didn’t say much in public, but the words they did say brought the family some closure. 

The full Common Council must approve the settlement.

FOX6 News reached out to an attorney for King’s mother Monday, but we haven’t heard back.