Diallo's parents file $61 million lawsuit against New York police and city

The suit was filed by Diallo's mother, Kadiatou (above) and his father, Saikou

April 18, 2000
Web posted at: 12:56 p.m. EDT (1656 GMT)

NEW YORK (CNN) -- The parents of Amadou Diallo, the West African immigrant slain by four undercover New York police officers last year, have filed a $61 million wrongful death lawsuit against the officers and the city.

The parents had promised to file the suit, which family attorney Anthony Gair said was filed Tuesday morning in the Bronx Supreme Court.

The suit accuses the police and the city of negligence for intentionally shooting Diallo, and for depriving him of his constitutional rights through excessive force, racial profiling and inadequate officer training.

MESSAGE BOARD Policing the police

The four white officers -- Edward McMellon, Sean Carroll, Richard Murphy, and Kenneth Boss -- confronted Diallo on Febuary 4, 1999, as he stood in the vestibule of his Bronx apartment. They fired 41 bullets at Diallo when they mistook his wallet for a gun; Diallo was struck by 19 of those shots and died at the scene.

Diallo, 22, who worked as a street vendor in Manhattan, was unarmed and had no criminal record since emigrating from Guinea.

A racially mixed jury acquitted the officers of murder February 25 after a monthlong trial in Albany, New York.

The Diallo family's suit asks for $20 million in damages plus an additional $41 million for pain and suffering, Gair said -- or $1 million for each bullet fired.

"Our main concern remains the federal government bringing criminal proceedings under the federal civil rights statutes," Gair said. "The only reason we filed at this time is the statute of limitations is due to expire."

Closing arguments next in Diallo murder trial
February 17, 2000
Defense to begin Wednesday in Diallo murder trial
February 8, 2000
Detective: Bullets fell from Diallo's body as it was lifted from scene
February 2, 2000
Opening statements set in murder trial of New York policemen
February 1, 2000

New York City Police Department
Capital Region Justice For Diallo Committee

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