The family of a Sacramento, California man — who was shot by police in July — filed a wrongful death lawsuit in the wake of the Aug. 5 release of new cell phone footage (see below).
According to Sacramento’s FOX 40, 51-year-old Joseph Mann was a former Raley’s Grocery and Department of Corrections employee before becoming homeless after the death of his mother in 2011.
On July 11, Sacramento Police shot Mann, claiming that the mentally ill homeless man was carrying a knife and gun and threatened them.
Officers have also stated that Mann was not following their commands prior to his death.
Family attorney John Burris released footage Friday showing the 110-pound man walking away from them.
At the 2-minute mark, Mann runs away from Sacramento Police officers, who then charge after him. At this point, the person recording the video pans downward as 18 gunshots are fired.
The camera then pans upward, and viewers can see Mann lying lifeless on the ground as SPD surround him.
“One could easily say this is an execution because they were not being attacked,” states Burris.
The attorney points out that there was no gun. Mann was cornered by officers against a fence and shot, Burris says.
The officers responsible have been identified as John C. Tennis and Randy R. Lozoya.
Now, the family has filed a wrongful death lawsuit in federal court.
“For them to gun my brother down in the streets of Sacramento like he was vicious dog … They need to be held accountable for this,” Joseph Mann’s brother, Robert Mann, says in a news conference Friday.
