How are you both feeling right now today?
Well, we've been very sad the last week
or two for some reason, both of.
So I'm not sure quite why, but
but this is a vindication of of
Christian and that's what we'ven
looking for for quite a long ti.
This is where where people find out that,
you know, Christian was.
Not responsible for his own
murder in fact the the truth is
out and so that that is it is a
I think that will help us what's
spelled out in the vindication r
you I did on the on the just
the car drive to Denver
I did feel a not as heavy like a weight
was lifted because from the outset we've.
We start, didn't we?
We were striving to clear his n.
That was always to clear his na,
particularly because of the completely
inaccurate false statement that
was put out at the beginning,
that he was responsible for his own killing.
And I really feel with everything that's
happened, his name is totally cleared.
He was murdered. He did nothing wrong.
And you know, the settlement,
the noneconomic terms,
everyone that's watched the vid.
Has said, you know,
he was a victim of a terrible crime and all.
Beautiful boy.
Now I just feel he's resting,
knowing that his name, you know,
there's been justification
and his name has been cleared.
And that is really everything t.
Everything.
Let's
talk about the noneconomic terms
because I'm absolutely fascinated with
the things that you guys were ae
to accomplish in this negotiati.
What's the most important noneconomic
thing that you're able to get h?
I I think that the memorials ane
the memory of him,
that keeping his memory alive i,
is very important to us.
And I think it will.
I've read some things about peoe
that go through this kind of
thing that as the years go by,
those things help a lot because
you never really come to
terms with a loss like this.
And I suppose we also hope that
the changes in police training
and the the publicity around ths
will will stop it happening to
another family in the US and tht
that if that were the case that
would be a big help to us as we,
I think emotionally.
It is. It's interesting.
It's the two parts.
I think when we found out, you ,
we were told about the park and we were
told about his art in the state capital.
That's lovely. That's lovely.
And it helps keep his memory al.
But also it's a reminder,
you know, when people maybe.
But who, who was Christian Glas?
What? Oh, what happened there?
But for me, the police training
is like who if we could save.
It it just through going through this
and having to be so public one e
family because you know it's going to
happen again because it just dit
happened it happened you know ar
Elijah George Floyd Christian le
I don't know there's just been o
many and and you just think howy
does does it have to be before t
just doesn't happen again and pe
forces and with with more train.
That they'll stop and bloody thk
before they just ramp it up and
become so aggressive, you know.
And when people you know fight or flee,
that is the natural human respo.
If you are under attack,
you don't just sit there and be attacked.
A human being will fight that or
they'll run from it, you know.
And there's been black,
black people that have run being
shot in the back.
Well, if you were under attack, I'd run.
So you know,
that's a normal response,
fight or flight,
and it's not an act of aggressi.
The police are the ones being
aggressive and that's the human
emotion to as a response to tha,
I know that this settlement
includes a lot of you guys gettg
involved in things like you'll t
a statement on the front of a vo
that'll be played State Patrol.
So you're also going to get the
opportunity to speak to new cads
in Clear Creek County.
What do you want to say to them?
I think there were a lot of
officers there that night.
All of them should have interved
at any point along the way.
If they had, he'd be alive.
They actually have a legal duty to intervene.
Their training tells them to intervene,
but it's not getting through ano
maybe hearing directly from vics
like us will help them understad
why they have a duty to intervee
and how it can help avoid these
sorts of situations in the futue
and to see. We're all human bei.
Like, I wonder when the police are there,
they stop seeing this scared human being.
You know, let's have some
humanity and some compassion,
because humanity and compassion
was just nonexistent that night.
And that's one thing is we're n,
we're all in this world togethe.
And they they, I think, well,
I know the police have that
mentality of them and us.
It's not them and us.
We're we're all together.
We're all human. We're just.
And people that get stopped by the police,
they're scared.
Our daughter was stopped about
soon after Christian died.
She was stopped for speeding and
she had a massive panic attack.
And the police was like,
what's wrong with you?
But people sometimes have.
They call it neuro diverse behaviour,
but behaviour that the police l.
What's wrong with you?
You don't understand how
terrifying it is to be surround.
With guns being pointed at
you and aggressive behavior,
we're scared.
So when we don't behave in a nol
typical way that you would expe,
it's because people are petrifi.
So just yeah stop and think abot
how you're coming across and how
much fear you insight in people.
I can't help think that that probably
pretty difficult though for both
of you to go back there to that
Sheriff's Office. That did this.
How do you summon the strength r
that? One thing?
I we have been up to the mounta.
I've been skiing this season and
we've sort of tried to avoid
getting into a position where yu
you just can't face something.
You can't go there because
you have to move on.
You have to be able to do it.
But now that you say it,
I'm not quite sure how how we'll do that,
but we'll cross that road to wht
they say. You keep your friends closer,
your enemies closer.
It doesn't do any good to to
not get involved because to do
good in the future, you know,
there's people that live up the,
that's their police force we live in.
We we don't live without
they're not our police force.
But we know people we actually e
friends that live up there and they go
you know this is these are the people
that are supposed to keep us sa.
So I think it's important to it's really,
really hard to go up there.
Also they're not I want to say
friendly to us you know with the
first you were there the first
date of the court appearance.
They got all of them to intimidate us.
What would you say a dozen
of them are up there?
But they had all dressed up in
body armor and all gunned up and
we had to walk through all of tm
into the courthouse and it was y
intimidating and it wasn't frie.
So they're not, you know,
the police still aren't friendly
to us up there,
that they're trying to intimidate us.
But, you know, I'm.
Yeah, I'm not intimidated.
I'll go up there because they have to learn,
you know,
that they can't treat human beings like this.
They're supposed to help and protect us,
not scare us and intimidate us.
And that seems to be the culture up there.
You
talk about them not being frien.
You know, their statements since
then haven't been the best.
But I I read a line in the apoly
note written to both of you.
That says the sheriff acknowledges that
his deputies didn't meet expectations
when it came to this situation.
How do you react to that?
Other other agencies said it was terrible.
It was awful.
It should never happen.
But yes, the agency that did it
said they didn't meet expectatis
and it's crazy because
that's the agency that.
Murdered Christian.
I mean, of all the agencies,
Clear Creek County are the most culpable.
Yet they put out a statement that was,
I mean to use an understatement
because they've been very understated,
incredibly disappointing meat expectations.
It's almost like a like
a bad batch of brownies, you kn.
And we just need to try harder
with the new recipe and we'll is
just you didn't eat meat gold.
But but me, expectations.
Talk about understatement of
the bloody century, You know,
did not meet expectations that e
of their officers murdered our .
Second degree murder did not expectations.
I mean, it's it's underwhelming and pretty,
very disappointing language.
Sorry. This was the necklace that was in
Christians car and that's why it was so OK.
Remember that from the first news conference.
This is a lot of money.
I mean, this sends a statement
to police around the country.
I know this was never about money for you.
What do you plan on doing with e
funds from this lawsuit? Nothing
right away because it's a bit.
It's a bit overwhelming,
but it's sad money, you know,
we we look at the settlement
amount and it's we have well,
I think it's Christian's money.
Christian's been given this
money because he was murdered.
So this is blood money,
you know, and that's you know.
There's sad money and hattick.
This is sad money.
What we The main thing about the money
is it sends a very strong messae
that this was so bad, so wrong.
And we will try and turn it into good
money by doing good things with it and
setting up a foundation in our son's name.
You want that foundation to do.
It's just, yeah,
I know we're talking about it.
Yeah, we've we have a lot of id,
young people, education,
mental health, mental health,
having a positive view
of the world and things
like that. Just young.
I think generally just Christian was young,
young people and being older
now I think the young people,
it is tough. It's it is.
It's just tough in the world that you know,
the the ability drugs, you know,
cannabis and all the rest and you know
all the other drugs and fentany,
you know, that's a huge problem.
I mean there's so much,
but I I think the overarching
thing would be young people. Ye.
Anything with police reform or because I
know you've been steadfast in that and
you're doing your accomplishing a lot.
You know, we we hope that this ,
it will particularly with duty to intervene.
I think that's something that could help.
I mean Christian's case probably
would have been buried but for Elijah
Mclean's case because you know,
Shenan Klain campaigned for quite a long
time to get justice in that case and.
Things like body cameras the duy
to intervene although it didn't
help Christian in the end the
the body cameras was critical.
I I don't think anyone would
have found out the truth and
that was just brought in.
I think that wasn't brought in
that long ago and and honest ift
wasn't for the body Cam footage
it it their lives would have thy
would have got away with it they
would have done and they tried
very much to get away with it.
They tried very hard to get away with murder.
They really did sweep,
try to sweep it under the carpe.
I can't help but think, but if u
hadn't hired an attorney, you mt
not know what actually happenedt
night. Part of this, part of me,
I just didn't want to know.
But I I wanted to believe
what they said was true.
No, I just don't want to.
But I wanted it to be some mean.
The idea that he was murdered
was very hard for me to accept.
It took a long time and.
How can people,
the lack of humanity as you you say that.
How can people carry on like th?
And I meet I meet people and they they they
told me I saw the video that I'm so sorry.
I people I don't even know,
come up to me.
I'm, I'm consoling.
People have grown men crying on my shoulder
because they've seen this
video and how horrific it is.
We've never watched it.
It's just so hard to believe tht
that that you would hire someone
that is capable of that kind oft
and the fact the sad we actually said
this to our lawyers that it is and our
lawyers have been obviously amag
with we've been very very fortu.
I was very lucky to actually.
Reach out network sort of and
and be recommended them because
we wouldn't have a clue.
But the sad fact is we actually
did need lawyers because we
thought the police and the juste
system would result in justice.
We thought that the CBI report
and justice would happen.
And you're absolutely right witt
without lawyers by our side
none of this would have happened
that you know the results that
we've that's been achieved.
I know nothing brings him back.
And so I always say that questin
about justice because I don't
think you ever really feel just.
But what does it say to you to have his
name associated with so much all of this?
It's going to be in state build,
but also the largest settlement
in Colorado history.
It's just how wrong it was.
That that really everything thas
happened in noneconomic terms,
the the financial settlement,
the publicity, it's because it
it was so shocking and so wrong.
And I hope to God this
just save someone else,
just save someone else from beig
murdered senselessly when they'e
asking for help by the police.
But that's the that's the big tg
is people to people to see this.
The message it sends is that
this was horrific murder,
that it shouldn't have happened.
What can we do to stop it happening again?
What can we do so that another
family in Colorado or the US
doesn't suffer the same way?
That's that's the thing that I think will.
That's the thing that will help.
I think I'm coming forward.
Did you have anything really quickly?
I just wanted to know why you brought
some of the things you did toda.
I actually did it about 10
minutes before we left home.
So in his room we have all his things right,
his rocks, you know, Mikano things and
Lego that he built because he ld
that when he was young, all his.
So it's. Sort of a a shrine, you know,
a shrine. I actually find it ve,
very hard to go in there. Very, very hard.
I just find it so overwhelming.
But today I thought that also we want
to begin to start celebrating his life
and just, I don't know,
to have more of a being, a posi.
Like that he achieved so much.
He was a wonderful son.
He was brother. I mean,
I've got pictures there of him with his,
you know, when he's younger
and his art and this. I love this one,
This is the first one I picked .
Because look, look at those two lines.
Just, you know,
love and compassion for each ot.
Why can't we just all be kinder
and love each other a bit more
and just let's get rid of
the aggression in this world.
All be wonderful.
Thank you both for taking the t.
Thank you. Thank you.