CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The city of Cleveland will pay $2.25 million to the loved ones of a man shot and killed in 2011 by a Cleveland police officer in Parma, according to the attorney who brought the case.

The settlement ends more than four years of litigation brought on behalf of Dan Ficker, who was shot and killed by Cleveland police officer Matthew Craska during a July 4, 2011 confrontation over stolen jewelry outside of Ficker's home in the suburbs.

Talks began and concluded during mediation conducted Thursday before U.S. District Judge Dan Polster. The lawsuit was set to go to trial next month.

The settlement is one of the largest the city has ever reached in a police misconduct case.

Terry Gilbert, an attorney representing Ficker's mother and girlfriend, said Thursday was a difficult day for the family, since they had to translate the loss of Ficker into dollars and cents. He said the case had been pending for a long time, and the settlement allowed for some closure and avoided the risks associated with taking a case to trial.

"It's just been torture to go through years of fighting the city and fighting to get to trial, but we think that the settlement speaks loudly to the idea that this was a misconduct of pretty serious proportions," Gilbert said.

City spokesman Dan Williams noted that a Cuyahoga County Probate Court judge must approve the settlement before it is final.

Ficker, 27, went to a party at officer David Mindek's house the day before the shooting. He was accused by David Mindek's wife of stealing her jewelry.

Mindek, who was off duty, and Craska, who was on duty, went to Ficker's home to talk to him. A struggle ensued, and Craska tried to arrest Ficker on an assault on a police officer charge.

The struggled ended with Craska shooting Ficker in the chest.

"Even though there was a struggle, none of that would have happened if they just followed common sense and not go and pursue somebody over a personal matter," Gilbert said of the officers. "It was policing at its worst."

A grand jury cleared Craska of criminal liability. Mindek was acquitted of a dereliction of duty charge after prosecutors accused him of failing to help Craska make an arrest.

District and appeals courts previously ruled that the city, Craska and Mindek could be held liable for Ficker's death in the lawsuit.

Craska and Mindek no longer work for Cleveland police, according to the city.

Gilbert said the officers were never disciplined, which was a major point of contention in the lawsuit.

Gilbert said the city also agreed to give him a copy of a policy the city enacted in the wake of Ficker's shooting. The new policy mandates that officers going into another city to investigate must have a supervisor go with them, Gilbert said.

In Craska's case, he did not give any information on why he was going to Parma, and the supervisor did not ask any questions, he said.

Gilbert said that was one positive change to come out of the case.

This article originally misstated that one of the officers still works for Cleveland police, based on incorrect information provided by a police spokeswoman. It has been corrected.

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