ATLANTA --- The wife of a judge killed during a 2005 shooting spree that started at the Fulton County Courthouse has agreed to a settlement of more than $5.2 million in a case that could clear the way for settling other lawsuits filed over the rampage.

Claudia Barnes said Thursday she had settled the lawsuit against Fulton County authorities in the fatal shooting of her husband, Fulton County Superior Court Judge Rowland Barnes. "We're happy about it," she said.

Brian Nichols faces the death penalty on charges that he escaped custody while on trial for rape and shot Judge Barnes, a court reporter, a deputy and a federal agent March 11, 2005. He has pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity.

Mrs. Barnes' lawsuit claimed that Fulton County Sheriff Myron Freeman and several other current and former deputies had shirked their duties. Seven separate lawsuits filed by relatives of the other victims are also pending, and attorneys say this agreement could lead to their settlement also.

"They could use any of the arguments that we used," said Tommy Malone, Mrs. Barnes' attorney.

The settlement calls for a $5 million payout from Clarendon America, Fulton County's insurer, according to documents obtained by The Associated Press. The county will pay Mrs. Barnes another $250,000 in pension benefits she accrued while working as a judicial assistant to another judge, the records say.

Mr. Malone said only the pension benefits will come from the county's coffers.

"This was a special, special man," Mr. Malone said. "A father of two, a wonderful husband to Claudia. There's no amount of money that can bring him back."

The county's attorneys are now at work handling the remaining seven lawsuits, said Larry Ramsey, the county's acting attorney.

"The county is pleased it was able to reach a settlement in this case," he said.

Prosecutors say Mr. Nichols was being escorted to a courtroom in the Fulton County Courthouse to await trial on a rape charge when he beat a deputy guarding him, stole her gun and went on a shooting spree.

He is charged with shooting Judge Barnes and court reporter Julie Ann Brandau in the courthouse and sheriff's Deputy Hoyt Teasley outside the courthouse. A fourth victim, federal agent David Wilhelm, was killed at a north Atlanta home later in the day.