GRANDMOTHER FILES LAWSUIT IN LIMA SHOOTING CASE

A family member of the woman who was fatally shot during a police
raid at her home seven months ago filed a lawsuit Tuesday in U.S.
District Court in Toledo against the City of Lima and police Sgt.
Joseph Chavalia, claiming a violation of civil rights.

Darla Kaye Jennings filed the lawsuit on behalf of Sincere Wilson,
her 1-year-old grandson who was injured when his mother, Tarika
Wilson, 26, was shot. The lawsuit asks for compensation for Sincere's
injuries as well as seeking an end to "police abuse by requiring that
high risk search warrant executions be limited to situations where
they are truly needed and where the least amount of force necessary
to the situation is employed."

The lawsuit was filed a day after Sergeant Chavalia was found not
guilty for misdemeanor charges of negligent homicide and negligent
assault. After 3 1/2 days of testimony, the jury deliberated for
about three hours before returning the verdicts.

The charges were a result of a drug raid held at Wilson's home on E.
Third Street in Lima on Jan. 4. Lima police officers executed a
search warrant looking for Anthony Terry, who was arrested at the home.

An unarmed Wilson was holding her son just outside a second-floor
bedroom when officers entered the home. Her five other children were
in the upstairs bedroom.

According to the lawsuit, the shooting that led to Wilson's death and
her son's injuries was "excessive, unreasonable, and completely
unnecessary." The lawsuit further said that Sergeant Chavalia acted
"negligently" when he used deadly force.

During his testimony at the trial, Sergeant Chavalia said that he
believed he was in danger when he entered the home and saw a "shadowy
figure" down the hallway at the same time that he heard gunshots. It
was later determined that the gunfire had come from the kitchen where
two members of the police SWAT team had fired at two pit bull dogs
let loose on the officers by Terry, who was Wilson's boyfriend.

Attorney Derek Sells of the New York City-based Cochran firm vowed at
a Tuesday press conference with Ms. Wilson's weeping family and
friends that Mr. Chavalia's criminal acquittal would not be the end
of this case.

"The fight for justice is not over," he said. "We're committed to
achieving complete justice and vindication for the loss of Tarika Wilson."