Supreme Court refuses to block suit against SF cops

[alp227]

The U.S. Supreme Court denied requests by San Francisco and police organizations today to block a lawsuit by the family of a man who was shot to death in the attic of an apartment that officers entered without a warrant.

The court, without comment, declined to review a March 2010 federal appeals court ruling allowing Asa Sullivan's mother and son to sue the San Francisco Police Department, alleging that the officers gained illegal entry into the apartment and then used excessive force.

Sullivan, 25, was killed by a barrage of gunfire in June 2006 in the dark attic of a Villas Parkmerced townhouse near Lake Merced.

Officers had entered the apartment based on a neighbor's report of suspected drug activity. After handcuffing one resident and finding a knife near him, they said, they found Sullivan in the attic.

Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2012/01/17/BA6E1MQKSV.DTL

[midnight]

1. This is good news for the family that had to experience such a horrible loss...

[AnotherMcIntosh]

2. Police claimed: Sullivan kept one hand concealed and told them to "kill me or I'll kill you."

No weapon was found but they said that they opened fire only after seeing Sullivan hold a dark object and make a sudden move with his arm.

They justified their shooting by saying that they found an eyeglass case under Sullivan's arm.

In contrast, a lawyer for Sullivan's mother and his 6-year-old son said one officer initially reported finding the case in Sullivan's jacket pocket, and that the police thereafter changed the story to justify the shooting.

Are these cops inexperienced rookies? At an earlier time, a more experienced cop could have found a drop gun. Or at least a drop knife.

[rhett o rick]

3. "Are these cops inexperienced rookies?" No they are blood thirsty killers given badges. nm

[AnotherMcIntosh]

4. Of course, if they didn't have a designated "dropper," they might have gotten confused.

The shooters claim that they found an eyeglass case under the deceased's arm when the shooting was over.

Is the claim credible that Sullivan had an eyeglass case out at the time of the assault? It's it more consistent with logic that he would have had the eyeglass case in his jacket at the time of the shooting?

[rhett o rick]

5. It doesnt matter. Every day you hear of cops killing people in cold blood for not obeying them. nm