Oldsailor65 Loc: Iowa

Family of Air Force Vet Killed on Jan. 6 Announces Major Lawsuit Against Capitol Police

Ashli Babbitt’s family is planning to sue the U.S. Capitol Police Department and the officer who shot and killed Babbitt during the incursion of the Capitol on Jan. 6, their attorney announced Thursday.

Plans for the lawsuit, which will seek “at least $10 million” in damages, were announced after federal prosecutors decided not to press criminal charges against the plainclothes Capitol police lieutenant who killed Babbitt, Zenger News reported Thursday.

“Prosecutors would have to prove not only that the officer used force that was constitutionally unreasonable, but that the officer did so ‘willfully,’ which the Supreme Court has interpreted to mean that the officer acted with a bad purpose to disregard the law,” the Justice Department said in a statement April 14.

“The investigation revealed no evidence to establish that, at the time the officer fired a single shot at Ms. Babbitt, the officer did not reasonably believe that it was necessary to do so in self-defense or in defense of the Members of Congress and others evacuating the House Chamber.”

Babbitt’s husband described the 14-year Air Force veteran as a “strong supporter of President Trump” and a “great patriot,” according to KUSI-TV in San Diego.

She was shot and killed while rioters tried to break through the doors of the Speaker’s Lobby at the Capitol, according to The Washington Post. She was unarmed.

Babbitt sought to climb through a smashed pane of glass to enter the lobby, The Post reported. It is unclear if she heard warnings from the crowd around her.

Graphic video footage showed her being shot in the neck by a plainclothes Capitol police officer and falling onto the floor, Zenger News reported.

Babbitt was evacuated out of the building on a stretcher and later died at Washington Hospital Center.

The name of the officer has not been released. Capitol police told Forbes that is “standard procedure when there are concerns for an officer’s safety, as there are in this case.”

“A rookie police officer would not have shot this woman,” family attorney Terry Roberts told Zenger News.

“If she committed any crime by going through the window and into the Speaker’s Lobby, it would have been trespassing. Some misdemeanor crime. All a rookie cop would have done is arrest her.”

Roberts added that there were plenty of police officers on the scene who could have helped with an arrest.

“What it looks like is this guy shot this lady for no legitimate law enforcement purpose. And you know, they ought to be pretty ashamed of that,” he said.

“You would probably expect this kind of thing to happen in Russia, where people get bumped off and you don’t know why they get bumped off.”

Economic losses from Babbitt’s death would total $2 million and non-economic claims would push the sum to about $10 million, according to Roberts.

“This is a clear case of excessive force,” he said, so he doesn’t think the police lieutenant could assert qualified immunity.

Roberts said he will deliver the lawsuit “within the next ten days,” Zenger News reported.

https://www.westernjournal.com/family-air-force-vet-killed-jan-6-announces-major-lawsuit-capitol-police/?utm_source=Email&utm_medium=WJBreaking&utm_campaign=breaking&utm_content=western-journal

It is very sad that her life is not as important as "fentanyl" George Floyds or any of the other many many black law breakers all over the country that idiots have: BURNED, LOOTED, KILLED and DESTROYED for

ChJoe

The leftists will defend that killer to the nth degree. The double standard of what is considered a justified shooting will be all to evident. Just like the police who have to kill those resisting arrest this officer should be tried for criminal homicide. But it won't happen. But what if the person he killed had been black?? Holy smoke.

Oldsailor65 Loc: Iowa

I know dammed good and well they have the Bullitt she was murdered with and they know whose gun it came from. We are living just another Democrat lie.

Weasel Loc: In the Great State Of Indiana!!

I hope the family makes the Capital pay through their noses.

okie don

I understand no warning was given. They or he just shot her
in cold blood.

EmilyD

If I were a betting woman, I would bet that one of the lefties will come on here and say she asked for it by being there....and that it's Trump's fault...

Carol Kelly

My question regards the $27m given to the criminal and drug addict George Floyd and all his honors, why should Babbitt family only ask for $10m? She was an honorable veteran with an honorable discharge instead of a Police record.

Voiceodppl

JUSTICE FOR ASHLI BABBITT! SAY HER NAME! JUSTICE FOR ASHLI BABBITT! SAY HER NAME!

Carol Kelly

Right you are,

Carol Kelly

They do, they do have the ballot!

JFlorio Loc: Seminole Florida

Apparently they were yelling show me your hands and her hands were visible and empty. She was murdered. Want to arrest her for trespass fine.

Carol Kelly

My understanding, too.

ChJoe

Yep, more double standard.

Carol Kelly

I meant BULLIT and it was changed to ballot. Sorry I didn’t catch that.

Oldsailor65 Loc: Iowa