A federal civil rights lawsuit has been filed in the murder of a Georgia woman who was fatally shot after authorities conducted a narcotics search warrant at her cousin’s house.
Latoya James, 37, was killed last year in the outskirts of Savannah, Georgia after visiting her cousin, Varshan Brown. Shortly after her visit, deputies “forcibly entered” the home to serve a warrant, a U.S. District Court for Southern Georgia lawsuit reads.
In police camera footage released to the courts, deputies appear to enter the home and one officer screams at someone to “get on the ground!” Multiple gunshots are then fired.
“Got one down, two down!” an officer yells.
The mother of one was shot and killed from bullet wounds to the back and shoulder. She was pronounced dead at the scene.
James’ attorneys state in the lawsuit that police gave the victim and her cousin “2.5 seconds to answer or come to the door before they breached the door and killed her.”
“2.5 seconds. One. Two. They kicked down the door. That’s not enough time,” attorney Harry Daniels said at a news conference Monday.
“There was nobody trying to flee or run out the back door or trying to destroy evidence,” Daniels said, adding that authorities did not give James and Brown the “dignity to ask ‘Who’s there? Who is it?’ before they knocked down the door.”
The suit names Camden County Sheriff Jim Proctor and deputies Downy Casey and Michael Blaquiere as defendants and is seeking $25 million.
The lawsuit further states that police did knock and announce themselves before entering the premises but did not activate sirens or police lights.
“Immediately upon entering the residence, defendants Casey and Blaquiere encountered an unarmed Latoya James and her cousin, Varshan Brown. Gunfire was exchanged between defendants Casey and Blaquiere and Varshan Brown,” the suit states. “Defendants Casey and Blaquiere discharged their weapons killing Ms. James and injuring Varshan Brown inside the residence.”
