CLAYTON, Mo. — Michael Brown’s parents filed a wrongful-death lawsuit against the city of Ferguson on Thursday, opening a new chapter in the legal battle over the shooting that killed their son and sparked a national protest movement about the way police treat blacks.
Attorneys for Brown’s parents promised the case would bring to light new forensic evidence and raise doubts about the police version of events. Some of that evidence, they said, had been overlooked in previous investigations.
“The narrative of the law enforcement all across the country for shooting unarmed people of color is the same: That they had no other choice,” said attorney Benjamin Crump. “But time and time again, the objective evidence contradicts the standard police narrative.”
Brown’s parents, Lesley McSpadden and Michael Brown Sr., attended a news conference announcing the lawsuit outside the St. Louis County Courthouse. A tear rolled down McSpadden’s cheek as Crump spoke.
“It’s all part of the journey,” she said.
The case had been expected for months. If it comes to trial, the lawsuit could force a full review of all the evidence in the shooting and bring key witnesses to be questioned in open court, including Darren Wilson, the white officer who shot Brown. Wilson and former Ferguson Police Chief Tom Jackson also were named in the complaint.
Civil cases generally require a lower standard of proof than criminal cases. Jurors must base their decision on a preponderance of evidence, not the proof beyond a reasonable doubt needed to convict in a criminal trial.
A Ferguson spokesman declined to comment, citing the pending litigation. Messages left for an attorney for Wilson were not returned immediately.
Jackson declined to discuss the lawsuit, telling The Associated Press that he was unaware of it until a reporter told him and had not had a chance to review the allegations.
