Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Beavercreek Police Shooting Lawsuit To Proceed

WCBE files

A wrongful-death lawsuit related to the shooting of John Crawford III inside a Beavercreek Walmart store more than four years ago took a step forward this week. Crawford’s relatives brought the suit against the Beavercreek Police Department and Walmart after a federal investigation into the shooting closed two years ago. Tuesday, a federal judge ruled the case can proceed to a jury trial. Jess Mador of member station WYSO in Yellow Springs has more.

The facts of John Crawford’s shooting have been widely reported:

 

Officer Sean Williams -- who is white -- shot Crawford -- who was black -- as Crawford held an unloaded pellet gun in the Walmart store’s sporting goods department. No criminal charges were brought against Williams.

 

On Tuesday, U.S. District Court Judge Walter Rice decided a jury will now hear the case.

 

His 76-page decision highlights key questions the jury will consider.

 

Among them: whether officer Williams perceived Crawford was an imminent threat to police or others when Williams pulled the trigger. And whether Crawford's constitutional rights were violated.

 

In a statement, an attorney for the City of Beavercreek said it would be inappropriate to comment on the decision since the case is ongoing.

 

Crawford family attorney Michael Wright was also unable to comment directly on the decision but says he’s satisfied the case will proceed to trial.

 

The trial is set to begin February 4.

 

The Statehouse News Bureau was founded in 1980 to provide educational, comprehensive coverage of legislation, elections, issues and other activities surrounding the Statehouse to Ohio's public radio and television stations. To this day, the Bureau remains the only broadcast outlet dedicated to in-depth coverage of state government news and topics of statewide interest. The Bureau is funded througheTech Ohio, and is managed by ideastream. The reporters at the Bureau follow the concerns of the citizens and voters of Ohio, as well as the actions of the Governor, the Ohio General Assembly, the Ohio Supreme Court, and other elected officials. We strive to cover statehouse news, government issues, Ohio politics, and concerns of business, culture and the arts with balance and fairness, and work to present diverse voices and points of view from the Statehouse and throughout Ohio. The three award-winning journalists at the bureau have more than 60 combined years of radio and television experience. They can be heard on National Public Radio and are regular contributors to Morning Edition, All Things Considered and Marketplace. Every weekday, the Statehouse News Bureau produces in-depth news reports forOhio's public radio stations. Those stories are also available on this website, either on the front page or in our archives. Weekly, the Statehouse News Bureau produces a television show from our studios in the Statehouse. The State of Ohio is an unique blend of news, interviews, talk and analysis, and is broadcast on Ohio's public television stations. The Statehouse News Bureau also produces special programming throughout the year, including the Governor's annual State of the State address to the Ohio General Assembly and a five-part year-end review.
Related Content