Minutes before he was shot and killed by two Modesto police officers, Sammy Galvan was asleep in his bed or lying on his bed with his arms crossed on his chest, a knife in each hand. In the final moments of his life, Galvan may have reacted to beams of light shining into his darkened cottage by jumping out of bed, assuming a fighting stance while advancing slowly toward officers Lyndon Yates and Miri Morse, and yelling, "Shoot me, m------------."

Or Galvan, 22, may have been shot eight times before he had a chance to comply with the officers' commands, posing no threat as he leaped out of bed and grabbed a knife to protect himself from intruders.

One version of the story, proffered by a city attorney, has Galvan holding a blade by its tip and raising his hand to throw the knife at Yates or Morse. The other, from an attorney seeking $3 million for Galvan's parents, says Galvan's wounds show that he could not have been taking aim.

Twelve jurors will decide after they hear from all involved when the wrongful death case comes to trial today in U.S. District Court in Fresno. An attorney representing the Galvans said a trial is the only way to get justice for a young man who died at police hands but committed no crime.