Appeals Court Orders 2 LR Police Officers to Stand Trial in Civil Lawsuit over Man’s Killing

Attorneys Flint Taylor (left) and Michael Laux speak to reporters Tuesday evening.

By Marci Manley, Reporter

ST. LOUIS, MO – Two officers with the Little Rock Police Department who were involved in the shooting death of a man in his apartment nearly five years ago will stand trial in a civil lawsuit filed in the case.

That’s the decision released today by the 8th Circuit Court of Appeals in St. Louis.

In making the ruling, the federal court affirmed a district court’s order denying qualified immunity for Donna Lesher and Tabitha McCrillis on the claims of unlawful entry and unreasonable use of deadly force.

Eugene Ellison, 67, was shot and killed inside his home at the Big Country Chateau apartment complex in December 2010 where the officers had been working off-duty as security.

Ellison was the father of one Little Rock Police officer who just left the force and another who was still employed by the department at the time of the shooting.

Officers Lesher and McCrillis said they were just checking on Ellison’s welfare when he began to attack them violently.

KARK Exclusive: Inside the Eugene Ellison Case

An exclusive KARK interview with Spencer Ellison, son of Eugene Ellison, and litigant in Ellison v. Lesher, et al.

By MARCI MANLEY | mmanley@kark.com
Published 07/22 2015 11:23PM
Updated 08/06 2015 06:18PM

Family of Eugene Ellison asks DOJ to investigate Little Rock PD

[vc_row][vc_column width=”1/1″][vc_column_text]The family of Eugene Ellison, an unarmed 67-year-old man who was shot to death in his Arkansas home 5 years ago, is asking the Justice Department to investigate his death. Eugene Ellison’s son, Spencer Ellison and Attorney Michael Laux join Tamron Hall.

– NewsNation with Tamron Hall 2/26/15[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]