A federal judge has ruled that a wrongful-death suit against a Milwaukee police officer should go forward. U.S. District Judge J.P. Stadtmueller ruled this week that a jury should be allowed to decide whether officer Jon Bartlett used excessive force when he shot and killed Larry Jenkins. Bartlett shot Jenkins, who was not armed, seven times on Sept. 19, 2002. Jenkins, who was a passenger in a car stopped for traffic violations, ran away from police and got into another car. Police said he then tried to run over the officer. Jenkins' family argues that the car was barely moving and that Jenkins, 31, was not in control of it. Assistant City Attorney Susan E. Lappen had asked Stadtmueller to throw out the suit. Stadtmueller agreed with some of Lappen's arguments and dismissed a claim that former police Chief Arthur Jones failed to properly supervise and train Bartlett. However, Stadtmueller said genuine issues of fact remain for a jury to decide. [more
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