Family of man fatally shot by Cleveland cop is awarded $5.5M

[Omaha Steve]

Source: AP

By KANTELE FRANKO

The family of a man fatally shot in the head by a Cleveland policeman was awarded $5.5 million on Tuesday by a federal jury in a civil case that found the officer liable for using excessive force.

The decision comes more than a year after the county prosecutor cleared the officer, Roger Jones, of criminal wrongdoing in the March 2012 shooting of Kenneth Smith after a disturbance outside a downtown nightspot.

The Smith family's attorney, Terry Gilbert, said the 20-year-old Euclid man "did not deserve to die this way" and that the jury's decision means it recognized that Jones acted improperly.

"This officer committed a horrible act by shooting Kenny Smith in the head," Gilbert said. "It was completely unjustifiable."

FULL story at link.

Read more: http://bigstory.ap.org/article/2be3a5a40ce14371b826021ed01666f6/family-man-fatally-shot-cleveland-cop-awarded-55m

[tularetom]

1. They need to to take that $5.5 million out of the PD pension account

Maybe if the rest of the cops have to start paying for the rotten apples among them, there would be some more self policing.

Why should the taxpayers have to foot the bill for one bad cop?

[yeoman6987]

3. The taxpayers will pay

Probably out of school funds. Close a few schools.


Ugh!!!!!

[Curtis]

5. I suggested this thing the other day

I put it almost to the word exactly as you did. And my cop loving sister blew her top and said that it's a stupid idea because of all the frivolous lawsuits. She said I was just bashing cops (I used to be one) and I hate anyone in uniform (I suffer PTSD from my time as a fireman/EMT).

Since then, both her and my mom have said I am so full of hate and have unfriended me on FB. All this while I'm going through testing to see if a bump is colorectal cancer.

Some people.

[Dont call me Shirley]

2. Kenneth....

This is not justice, but it is a start.

[1StrongBlackMan]

4. Terry Gilbert was my Criminal Procedure Professor back when I was in Law School ...

But back then, he was a criminal defense attorney, and gained a reputation of being "Cop's Attorney", defending cops accused of wrong doing.

I never knew him to take a civil wrongful death case.

I guess times change. Huh?

[Sunlei]

6. City pays 6.4 million for Mr. Greys murder by police.

This is the way it will continue to be, until police change.