Jury Awards More Than $15 Million to the Family of an Unarmed Man Shot by a SWAT Sniper
On Friday, July 14, 2017, a federal court jury handed down a unanimous verdict, awarding more than $15 million to the parents and son of Leonard Thomas. In 2013, Thomas was allegedly killed by a SWAT officer while on his front porch. This award, to be paid by the cities of Lakewood and Fife, Washington, is among the largest police deadly force verdicts in the state’s history. The jury found that the rights of 30-year-old Thomas were violated when a minor domestic dispute ended in his being shot by a sniper in front of his son, who was 4 years old at the time.
The three-week trial ended with deliberations lasting more than three days. The seven-member jury unanimously rejected claims by police that Thomas had been using his son as a human shield or holding him hostage. They also apparently didn’t believe Thomas posed a threat to himself or the police officers.
On every count being considered in the trial, the jury sided with the Thomas family. The considerations they were charged with included the matters of: excessive force, unreasonable seizure, using explosives to enter the home, deprivation of family relationship, false arrest, unreasonable killing of the family dog, causing severe emotional distress, and negligent investigation.
On the night of Thomas’ death, Thomas and his mother, Annalesa Thomas, had an argument. His mother called the police after going to his home to pick up his son. As she was on a cellphone calling police dispatch, he slapped the phone out of her hand. In response to the call, a SWAT team was called, which showed up at the home with 29 heavily armed officers and two armored assault vehicles. One of the vehicles drove into Thomas’ front yard.
There was a four-hour standoff, during which Thomas would not exit the home. He was verbally abusive and belligerent toward police officers. However, he allegedly threatened no one and was unarmed.
After negotiators talked Thomas into releasing his son to be with the grandmother, Thomas went onto the front porch with the car seat and backpack for the boy. As he did so, officers used an explosive breach of the home at the back door, with an assault team. Startled by the commotion and officers running toward him, Thomas grabbed for his son and was at that moment allegedly shot in the stomach by a sniper. He allegedly bled to death.
Evidence at the trial included the testimony of a 24-year SWAT supervisor from the Los Angeles Police Department, who claims that the child had never been a hostage and there was no reason for Thomas to be shot.
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