Tony Timpa Case: Supreme Court says wrongful death lawsuit against Dallas officers can go forward
DALLAS - The high court will allow a wrongful death lawsuit to proceed against the city of Dallas and four police officers.
The family of a man who died in police custody in 2016 sued.
Tony Timpa called police for help as he had a drug and mental health crisis.
The city fought against releasing body camera video and whit it did come out it was obvious why. It showed the officers mocking the dying man.
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One had his knee on Timpa’s back and neck for nearly 15 minutes and the medical examiner said that contributed to his death.
The city of Dallas argued the officers are legally protected from lawsuits.
The Supreme Court upheld a federal appeals court’s ruling that will allow the case to proceed.
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"The decision means that the case can proceed to trial and that there will be no more delays from any appellate court. Also, the decision means that the Fifth Circuit did it right that their ruling regarding deadly force will be the law of the land at least in Mississippi, Texas and Louisiana for as long as we know," said Geoff Henley, an attorney for Timpa’s family.
Those are the states covered by the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals ruling allowing the suit to continue.
Three years ago, the Dallas district attorney dropped criminal charges against three of the officers.
RELATED: DA drops charges for 3 Dallas officers accused in man's death