HAMPTON, Va. (AP) — A wrongful death trial is getting under way in the case of a Virginia man who was shot and killed by police in his home.
The Daily Press reports (http://bit.ly/2e5e1aU) that police were executing a search warrant at the home of William Cooper on June 28, 2011, looking for evidence that he was selling prescription painkillers.
After officers broke down Cooper’s front door, Cooper emerged from a hallway with a revolver and opened fire. Officers then returned fire, killing Cooper.
Lawyers representing Cooper’s estate filed a $10 million wrongful death lawsuit against three officers.
Cooper’s lawyers say he wasn’t given enough time to answer the door and was trying to protect himself from an unknown intruder. Defense lawyers say Cooper’s killing was a justified act of self-defense.
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Information from: Daily Press, http://www.dailypress.com/
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