JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The family of a 22-year-old man shot and killed by a police officer is suing the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office.
Last year, the State Attorney’s Office reviewed the shooting death of Jamee Johnson and ruled the shooting justified.
However, Johnson’s family attorney disagrees and is suing Sheriff Mike Williams and Officer Josue Garriga, the officer who pulled the trigger.
Though it can’t bring Johnson back, the family says this could get them one step closer to justice.
This bodycam video shows the moments before, during and after Johnson was shot four times by Garriga.
If the court agrees, the city would have to grant among seven things “economic losses and punitive damages of at least $100,000.”
“The biggest inconsistency out of this whole thing, the biggest lie is Josue Garriga’s story,” said Johnson’s family attorney, Harry Daniels. “His sworn testimony, versus the medical examiner’s report, versus the video, versus the eyewitness.”
Daniels claims Johnson was not a threat and that Garriga’s testimony would’ve positioned Johnson to be shot right-to-left.
Daniels said Jamee exited the vehicle with his hands raised above his head surrendering and the autopsy report show bullets struck him “left-to-right,” contradicting Garriga’s testimony.
Johnson’s father says he wants justice.
“He did some bad stuff he shouldn’t have gotten back in the car, he should’ve tried to get away but he said at the beginning that he was scared of the police and he did stop in the end and give up,” Harvey Johnson said.
Now the Johnson family will wait to see if the federal court agrees or disagrees with their lawsuit.
The City of Jacksonville said it “will not comment on pending litigation”, which is standard for anyone implicated in this civil suit.