A federal judge on Monday tossed a lawsuit against the city of Scranton and four police officers brought by the family of a mentally ill woman police fatally shot after she charged at them with a knife.
City police officers Robert Stanek, James Smith and Jason Knoch had "probable cause" to believe Brenda Williams posed a "significant threat" when they opened fire on her after she came at them with a knife inside her North Lincoln Avenue apartment on May 28, 2009, Senior U.S. District Judge A. Richard Caputo wrote in a 23-page order.
The family's attorney, William Mikita of Oakhurst, N.J., filed suit in federal court in 2010, claiming the officers used excessive force in violation of Ms. Williams' constitutional rights and that the department did not have policies, procedures and training in place to prepare its officers on how to handle mentally ill residents.
After the incident, city police formed a crisis intervention team to train officers.
The suit also named Officer Eric Jordan, who was at the scene when the shooting happened, but did not fire his weapon.
Following a state police investigation, Lackawanna County District Andy Jarbola determined the shooting was justified and did not warrant criminal charges against the officers.
Reached by phone, Mr. Mikita said he was shocked and baffled by the judge's ruling.
"We have to digest it first, but we are strongly considering an appeal," he said. "Gut reaction says yes, we are going to appeal."
Ms. Williams' mother, Louise, and daughter, Alana, both of Scranton, and brother, Myron of New Jersey, are plaintiffs in the suit.
The city asked Judge Caputo to dismiss the case before it could be decided by a jury, claiming in court papers that her death was caused by her "own conduct."
Ms. Williams, 52, a diagnosed paranoid schizophrenic, was walking around her apartment naked when police arrived after a call from neighbors who said Ms. Williams was banging on their front door and yelling.
The officers were inside Ms. Williams' apartment deciding whether she should be involuntarily committed or cited for disorderly conduct when she grabbed a large knife from her kitchen and charged at them. The officers pulled their guns, and ordered her to drop the knife.
When she refused and lurched again at Officer Smith while pointing the knife at him, the officers shot her.
"The undisputed facts show that Ms. Williams rapidly approached Officer Smith with a knife, ignored the officers' warnings to stop and drop the knife, and was within several feet of Officer Smith when she was shot," the judge wrote.
The judge also said the lawsuit did not prove its claim that Ms. Williams' death could have been avoided if the city had better training and procedures in place.
The lawsuit did not provide "any evidence that shows a pattern of violations" by the city police force against mentally ill people, the judge determined.
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