From [HERE] A Westchester jury rejected a lawsuit brought by the family of a 68 year old, former black marine who was assauled by white cops and fatally shot by a white officer five years ago.
Kenneth Chamberlain Sr., 68, was killed by White Plains police officer Anthony Carelli, 34, on Nov. 19, 2011.
The jury--made up of five whites and three non-whites (two Latino women and one Black man) deliberated for close to a day before deciding the city of White Plains and officer Carelli did not violate Chamberlain’s civil rights by commiting excessive force.
The jury also rejected the family’s allegation that the officers illegally assaulted Chamberlain. The case was the result of a $21 million federal wrongful death lawsuit.
Chamberlain had accidentally triggered his medical alert. When the medical-alert agency did not get a response from Mr. Chamberlain, it dispatched the police to check on him. He repeatedly told police that he didn’t need help and that he wanted them to leave the premises during the 90 minute stand-off. During the stand-off audio recordings revealed the officers called him nigger and taunted him with racial slurs. Officer Steven Hart said “Stop, we have to talk nigger.”
Police forced their way into his apartment anyway, tased him and then shot him, a heart patient who was unarmed and in his boxer shorts. A former Marine and corrections officer, he had bipolar disorder, as well as arthritis and respiratory illness.
He told officers, "I don't need you! I didn't call you!" he yelled at the officers.
Police claimed that they were worried that someone else might be inside the apartment and also claimed they feared for his safety.
When the door was finally yanked off officers hit Chamberlain with a Taser and four beanbag rounds.
But according to police that wasn't enough to stop the senior citizen from lunging at them with a knife, four officers testified at the trial.
"I believed Sergeant Martin might be killed," Carelli testified. "(Chamberlain) was closing in."
Martin said he was thankful for his colleague's decision to open fire.
"I thought I was going to be stabbed," Martin testified. "I don't think I would be standing here. Officer Carelli saved my life." [MORE]