From [HERE] Police Lt. Brian Fitzgerald testified Thursday that his fatal shooting of Frederick McAllister will live with him for the rest of his life.

Fitzgerald, who shot the unarmed McAllister in the back in 2008, took the stand as the defense opened its case in the civil trial against the city before Judge Dale Radcliffe.

The lawsuit, filed by McAllister's family, contends Fitzgerald was not in danger and violated Police Department procedures when he shot the 33-year-old McAllister at the Success Village housing complex on Jan. 31, 2008. The city and Police Department are at fault in McAllister's death for failing to properly train Fitzgerald, according to the suit.

"If a police officer shoots an unarmed, misidentified man in the back, they must tell the truth and take responsibility for the death they caused," Antonio Ponvert III told the jury of three men and three women as he began his case in the civil trial. "We trust our police to serve and protect us, but here, they killed an innocent man, and now they are trying to avoid taking responsibility for what they did."