Fort Worth Sued by Family of Black Woman Killed by Cop at Home

[Elderberry]

Courthouse News by David Lee 11/16/2020

Fort Worth Sued by Family of Black Woman Killed by Cop at Home

The family of Atatiana Jefferson has filed a federal wrongful death lawsuit against the city of Fort Worth and the former cop who shot the Black woman to death through a window of her own home during a welfare check last year.

Relatives Jerome Eschor, Arita Eschor and Venitta Body claim Aaron Dean – who is white – failed to identify himself as a police officer and went straight into the backyard instead of knocking at the front door in the early morning of Oct. 12, 2019. In their lawsuit filed Friday and made available Monday, they seek compensatory and punitive damages for excessive force, assault, battery and supervisory liability.

“Dean, immediately, within seconds of seeing the resident inside of her home; shot her dead through a window of the home,” the 17-page complaint states. “Defendant Dean in his prowl around the backyard of her home, caused Atatiana fear and uncertainty … Dean failed to render medical aide to Atatiana.”

The lawsuit’s claims mirror what was recorded on Dean’s body camera that morning. Fort Worth police released a heavily edited, two-minute long video within hours of the shooting that show Dean walking up to the open front door before walking down the side of the house.

More: https://www.courthousenews.com/fort-worth-sued-by-family-of-black-woman-killed-by-cop-at-home/