Federal court denies appeal in civil lawsuit over Amir Locke killing
A lawsuit filed by the family of a man killed by Minneapolis police isn't going away, despite an appeal from the city.
Federal judges have ruled that the wrongful death lawsuit filed by Amir Locke's family against Minneapolis and officer Mark Hanneman will move forward.
Locke, a Black man, was 22 years old when Hanneman shot and killed him as police carried out a no-knock raid inside a downtown Minneapolis apartment building in 2022.
Locke's family is accusing Hanneman of violating Locke's Fourth Amendment rights to be free from unreasonable seizures. They also accuse the city of not properly training its officers.
The case was appealed by the city and Hanneman, citing body camera video. The appeal argued Hanneman had "probable cause to believe that Locke posed a threat of death or serious harm."
But ultimately, the court disagreed, saying, "The body-worn-camera videos provide dim, unclear images of the incident's critical moments."
The court also ruled that Hanneman wasn't entitled to qualified immunity, which means he can be personally sued in the civil case.
The city previously filed a motion to dismiss the suit, which was also denied.
Hanneman was not charged in Locke's killing.
