WICHITA, Kan. (AP) - Federal civil rights lawsuits involving two fatal shootings by Wichita police officers have been dismissed.
The suits were brought by the families of 24-year-old Troy Lanning II and 45-year-old Karen Jackson, who were both killed by police in separate incidents in 2012, The Wichita Eagle (https://bit.ly/2koTAJj ) reports. Both lawsuits accuse the city of Wichita and the involved police officers of violating the victims’ constitutional rights against the use of excessive force. Each lawsuit sought more than $75,000 in damages.
Lanning, who was unarmed, was shot six times in April 2012 during a foot chase that came after a report of a possible drive-by shooting. An officer fired after Williamson allegedly reached into a bag. The judge says the plaintiff failed to show violations by the officer of “clearly established law.”
Jackson was shot in July 2012 after walking toward two officers with a butcher knife, stabbing herself and calling on them to fire. Authorities say Jackson refused commands to drop the weapon. The judge says those officers could have reasonably believed their actions were justified.
Wichita attorney James A. Thompson, one of two attorneys representing both families, called the decisions “a harsh result.”
Steven Pigg, an attorney defending the city in both lawsuits, declined to comment.
The Sedgwick County district attorney announced in 2013 that the officers involved in Jackson’s shooting would not face criminal charges. The investigation into Lanning’s shooting remains open.
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Information from: The Wichita (Kan.) Eagle, https://www.kansas.com
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