Monroe County Officer acquitted in 2004 death of Black Man

A mother whose son was gunned down by state narcotics agents four years ago in Monroe County has lost a federal lawsuit that claimed he was trapped in his vehicle and shot in ''execution fashion.'' Six undercover drug agents were sued by Debra Fraser-Howze, founder of the National Black Leadership Commission on AIDS in New York City; every agent but one was dropped earlier this month from the case by Magistrate Judge Henry S. Perkin, who presided over the case in Philadelphia.

Last Thursday, a jury acquitted the remaining agent, Jeffrey P. Aster, who fired the shot that killed 25-year-old Barron Wright. Wright was a former East Stroudsburg University disc jockey who lived in Bushkill, Pike County. Attempts to reach the family for comment Wednesday were unsuccessful.

The suit alleged the men who shot Wright used "excessive and unnecessary force" and violated his rights under the Fourth, Fifth, Thirteenth and Fourteenth Amendments to the Constitution. Defendants took part in a conspiracy to "conceal the true manner in which Wright was shot to death" by falsely stating that one of the agents was in danger of being struck and killed by Wright's vehicle as Wright tried to escape. The suit also alleges a BNI agent called Wright several days before Wright's death to arrange the drug deal even though the agent "knew that Wright had not before engaged in selling cocaine." [MORE]