OKLAHOMA CITY (Free Press) — The Metropolis Council for Oklahoma Metropolis is being requested to approve an additional $100,000 for outdoor authorized counsel to defend 5 OKC law enforcement officials and the Police Chief being sued by the mom of Stavian Rodriguez.
The 15-year-old Rodriguez was shot and killed by OKCPD officers after he had surrendered on the finish of a comfort retailer theft on the south facet November 23, 2023.
Lawsuits in opposition to people
Cameo Holland, mom of Rodriguez, is suing Police Chief Wade Gourley and the 5 officers in federal courtroom for depriving Rodriguez of his “Fourth Modification proper to be free from extreme drive …”
Oklahoma Metropolis Municipal Counselor Kenneth Jordan – the Metropolis’s prime in-house lawyer – has positioned three gadgets on the Tuesday Metropolis Council assembly agenda asking to spend as much as the $100,000 on outdoors authorized counsel for 2 of the officers.
Three extra named within the federal go well with have requested for a agency that’s already on retainer with the Metropolis, so authorization is requested with no extra cash in that request. Nevertheless, the agency can invoice for extra money later if their bills transcend the retainer quantity.
Holland and her legal professional Rand Eddy had filed the same lawsuit in state courtroom earlier than submitting in federal courtroom. Right here is our report from December 2023:
— Mother of Stavian Rodriguez launching lawsuit against Oklahoma City
Metropolis Supervisor Craig Freeman employed Wade Gourley to be the 50th OKCPD Chief of Police in July 2019. Inside his first yr, Gourley confronted historic protests in Oklahoma Metropolis over his division’s practices, particularly in terms of police use of lethal drive.
Officers named
One of many officers named within the lawsuits had round 5 years of service on the time of the taking pictures and the opposite 4 officers had much less.
They’re:
- Officer Bethany Sears
- Officer Jared Barton
- Officer Corey Adams
- Officer John Skuta
- Officer Brad Pemberton
The Metropolis’s negotiated contract with its law enforcement officials makes provision for the Metropolis to pay for outdoor authorized counsel if particular person officers are sued for his or her actions whereas finishing up their duties as officers.
The Fraternal Order of Police (FOP) Lodge No. 123 is the union native that represents the officers in negotiations.
Felony prices
Oklahoma County District Lawyer David Prater has filed felony prices on the 5 officers. Every is charged with manslaughter within the first diploma.
The arrest affidavit Free Press obtained in March says that the 5 “willfully, unlawfully, and unnecessarily killed Stavian Rodriguez, by taking pictures him with a firearm, whereas resisting an try by the deceased to commit against the law or after such try had failed …,” inflicting his loss of life.
Right here is our report from March with particulars and 5 body-worn digital camera movies launched by OKCPD on the time:
— Five OKCPD officers get felony charges in Stavian Rodriguez shooting
The FOP is paying for his or her authorized protection in these circumstances in line with information experiences.
Tensions
That is the newest improvement in what has been a tense yr between the OKCPD and group members over what some think about to be an eagerness to shoot and kill by OKCPD officers.
Solely days after the taking pictures and 5 months after Black Lives Matter protests within the metro over police killings, Free Press reported on the division’s heated relations with its group.
— Response to Stavian Rodriguez death strains police-community relations
Black Lives Matter – OKC government director T. Sheri Dickerson stated on the time that the “killing of civilians by brokers of the state exhibits an entire disregard for the worth of all human lives.”
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Final Up to date July 3, 2023, 11:52 AM by Brett Dickerson – Editor
The publish Legal defense requested for OKC Police Chief, officers in Rodriguez death appeared first on Oklahoma City Free Press.
