The family of 19-year-old Demetrus Vinson is suing the Akron police for $10 million citing wrongful death and violation of civil rights. Vinson was killed last March after police pulled his car over. Police officers, Michael Orrand and Michael Koubek, allegedly saw Vinson’s car leave a known drug house around 2:00 a.m. and followed him to his grandmother’s home.
The lawsuit alleges Vinson was shot three times “without warning or justification” by Koubek. The police state that as the officers approached Vinson’s car with flashlights in hand, Vinson rolled up his tinted windows and refused to leave the car. The report then states Vinson pointed a gun at Orrand. In response, Koubek pulled his gun and shot at Vinson. The officers retreated and heard one shot fired from inside Vinson’s car.
A Single Shot
While there is no question that Koubek shot at Vinson, the single shot fired from inside the car lacks clarity. A .45-caliber handgun was recovered from Vinson’s car, which the police claim Vinson used to shoot himself in the head. Just after the shooting, the police took responsibility for Vinson’s death, but the autopsy performed two days later led to the claim of suicide. Vinson’s 15-year-old passenger, Chance Baker, initially backed the authorities’ story of suicide, but has since recanted this version of what happened that night.
Back to the Lawsuit
The parents of Demetrus, Horace L. Vinson and Beverly A. Wallace, filed the lawsuit last Friday in U.S. District Court. The suit alleges that because Vinson’s car was moved with his body still inside before investigators could do their job, evidence was destroyed. In addition to the wrongful death and violation of civil rights, the suit asks for compensatory damages, as well as punitive damages and attorney costs.
We blogged earlier this month about a case in Pennsylvania that is somewhat similar to this one. Police shot and killed a boy, and the family filed a lawsuit. Sadly, these two examples are not the only cases like this to have entered the media cycle. Just as with Michael Ellerbe in Pennsylvania, Demetrus Vinson’s death unleashed protests and brought forth an independent investigation. Besides the obvious differences in these two cases – time, place, age, situation – what remains the same are family grief, community outrage, and the back and forth of contradictory reports.
Finally, the question of money and how it relates to these issues will always be contested. Until we can find another way to assuage feelings of injustice and families believing the police are hiding facts, as well as authorities being on the defensive every time an officer uses his or her gun (and the center of possible lawsuits), we can expect to hear about more situations like this.
If you feel you may have a wrongful death case, please contact an experienced injury lawyer in your area.
