Family of man shot to death by cop awarded $3.9 mil.

Reported in the Chicago Sun-Times October 4th, 2007

October 4, 2007

A Cook County jury has awarded $3.9 million to the family of a man shot to death by a police officer about three years ago on the West Side.

Ronald Mullins, 30, was shot three times by Officer Geoffrey Roberts, who fired after he was caught in the window of a car Mullins was driving July 6, 2004. Police found the shooting justified, which Mullins' family contested in a lawsuit.

The confrontation began when the officer walked from the Austin District police station to a nearby gas station to investigate screeching tires.

Roberts approached Mullins and told him to get out of the car. When he didn't, Roberts reached into the car and Mullins drove away, carrying the officer with him, police said.

Roberts would have been safer if he hadn't shot Mullins, who crashed into a utility pole after he was fatally wounded, said Gary Laatsch, a lawyer for Mullins' family.

Witnesses said Roberts was holding his weapon before he reached the car, contradicting the officer's statement that he drew his gun after the car was moving, Laatsch said.

Jurors assessed $5.2 million in damages Tuesday, but awarded Mullins' survivors only a portion -- $3.9 million -- because they found he was 25 percent responsible for his own death.

Frank Main