St. Louis County settles wrongful death lawsuit

ST. LOUIS -- St. Louis County has settled a wrongful death lawsuit in a case involving a man who died after struggling with police in 2008.

The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports county officials settled the suit for $46,500 instead of letting it go to trial.

Audrey Elkins sued after her son, 31-year-old Craig Foster of Berkeley, died after a "violent struggle" with members of the police department's Street Enforcement Team.

Police say Foster ran Aug. 21, 2008, when officers tried to serve a search warrant at his home. The autopsy report described Foster as a crack cocaine dealer.

Elkins says video shows one officer kicking her son's head. A medical examiner found bruising to Foster's head, but said he died accidentally from complications from heart disease and asthma.