7/27/2008
Police Facing Suit After Shooting Unarmed Man
OAKLAND — During a press conference Sunday, prominent civil rights attorney John Burris called for a criminal investigation into the fatal shooting of an unarmed man by the Oakland Police Department.
Burris represents the family of 27-year-old Jody Woodfox, who died early Friday after being shot by police. The family says Oakland police acted with unreasonable force by shooting the unarmed father of two after stopping his car in the 1700 block of Fruitvale Avenue. The family plans to sue the City of Oakland.
Police say the officers involved believed Woodfox was reaching for a gun before they shot him three times in the chest.“They didn’t have no reason to shoot him. He was not armed or nothing. He got out the car with his hands up. When he got out the car, they started shooting. And then he started running,” said Shamika Steele, who was in the car with Woodfox. “Given that the crime- at best- may’ve been a stop for a traffic violation, there was nothing about his conduct that would justify the use of deadly force.”
Apparently this guy didn’t listen to Chris Rock’s rules: How Not to Get Your Ass Kicked by the Police
“And then he started running….”









