OFFICERS LIABLE IN SHOOTING; CITY TO BE TRIED NEXT

Jury Awards Victim's Family

A federal jury's award of nearly $3 million to the family of a
cemetery worker killed by police in a drug raid two years ago is the
first step in a two-phase lawsuit, attorneys said Monday.

The jury's verdict of about $2.85 million Friday established damages
and liability against three Memphis officers in the death of Jeffrey
Robinson, 41, who was shot in the face by police July 30, 2002, at his
home at 1523 Rozelle next to the Baron Hirsch cemetery. He died about
six weeks later on Sept. 16.

Now the City of Memphis, also a defendant in the suit, will be tried
to determine whether Police Department policies and procedures
contributed to Robinson's death, said plaintiff's attorney Buck
Wellford. The city could be held liable for the compensatory damage,
which was $1.25 million of the total, and for attorney fees of the
plaintiff.

No trial date has been set.

The shooting occurred after members of the police vice and narcotics
squad acted on a tip and stormed the home Robinson shared with another
man who also worked at the cemetery. Robinson was shot after police
said he lunged at them with a box cutter.

Police said they found 2.2 grams of marijuana in plastic bags and drug
paraphernalia in a camper in the backyard. Robinson was charged with
aggravated assault and possession of marijuana.

During the trial, Wellford contended police planted the box cutter in
an effort to justify the shooting and arrested Robinson on false charges.

After a two-week trial before U.S. Dist. Judge Jon McCalla, the jury
deliberated two days before finding against officer Mark Lucas for
excessive force as the shooter and falsifying evidence; against
officer Jeffrey Simcox for falsifying evidence and against officer
Albert Bonner for falsifying evidence and false arrest.

Their attorneys could not be reached Monday.