ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — With police on edge against an outbreak of violence, a jury Friday rejected a $1.6 million lawsuit brought by the family of a black motorist who was fatally shot by a white officer, touching off riots in 1996.
The jury of five whites and one black sided with the city, which argued that the family of 18-year-old TyRon Lewis deserved no money because Lewis was threatening the officer's life when he was shot during a traffic stop.
"I want TyRon back," said Lewis' mother, Pamela, as she left the courthouse surrounded by family members.
Lewis' death led to riots at the time, and violence broke out again in the same neighborhood Wednesday night as the case drew to a close. Several businesses were looted and burned and a police officer was shot at but not wounded.