City of Lodi to hire outside attorneys in Parminder Shergill suit
By Wes Bowers, Lodi News-Sentinel, Calif. | |
McClatchy-Tribune Information Services |
The resolution will also authorize City Attorney
Fees and costs for litigation are currently unknown, but according to Wednesday's staff report, they are not expected to exceed
The city attorney typically defends the city with its own staff. However, staff is recommending the city hire outside counsel, as
Kilday has defended several cities and police departments, most recently
In that case,
Kilday has also litigated civil cases for the
Berry has been representing Bratton and Lockie for a few months, and
Merin has filed a lawsuit against the city on behalf of Shergill's family, after he was shot and killed by Lockie and Bratton in January. The officers responded to a family disturbance on
Police have maintained that Shergill, 43, was armed with a knife and lunged at officers after repeated orders to drop the weapon.
Family members and witnesses interviewed by Merin have refuted those claims, and claim Shergill was unarmed when officers shot him.
Merin claims in the lawsuit that officers used excessive force and provoked Shergill, which led to a violent confrontation. Merin's lawsuit also claims the city provided inadequate training and supervision of police officers contacting people suffering from mental illnesses, and failed to accommodate Shergill's disability.
Family members have said Shergill suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder as a result of his service in the
The lawsuit claims negligence by the city in causing a wrongful death and interference with Shergill's civil rights through threats, intimidation or coercion without probable cause or reasonable suspicion.
It is unclear when the case might go to trial.
Magdich was unavailable for comment Friday.
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