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Lawsuit filed against LAPD in shooting of day laborer from Guatemala
Los Angeles Police officers patrol near protesters demonstrating against the Police shooting of Guatemalan immigrant Manuel Jaminez on Sept. 8, 2010 in Los Angeles.
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Lawsuit filed against LAPD in shooting of day laborer from Guatemala
Lawsuit filed against LAPD in shooting of day laborer from Guatemala
A lawsuit filed today accuses the Los Angeles Police department of wrongful death, excessive force, and negligence in the fatal shooting of a day laborer from Guatemala.
Attorneys for the widow and three sons of Manuel Jaminez filed the lawsuit in federal court, without specifying monetary damages.
On Sept. 5, an LAPD patrol officer shot Manuel Jaminez in the Westlake area.
Police have said Jaminez attempted to stab a woman and threatened officers with a knife. They say they ordered him several times in English and Spanish to drop the knife, but he didn’t. But attorney Dale Galipo says witnesses went to him and disputed those claims.
"The fact that the officer felt afraid, or was afraid that something might happen is not enough under the law," says Galipo. "And we think the officer overreacted and unnecessarily killed this man. "
The LAPD continues to investigate the incident and says it can’t comment on pending litigation. The shooting sparked days of heated protests in the area. The widow and three sons of Manuel Jaminez live in Guatemala.
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