Speaking in a voice barely above a whisper, Janet Cooksey, Quintonio LeGrier’s biological mother, told the jury Monday she loves her son and misses him.
On the stand she said he would have one day grown up to be better than her, go further and have children himself. She said her hope was that she would become a grandmother.
Chicago police officer Robert Rialmo admits to firing the shots in 2015 that killed Legrier and downstairs neighbor Bettie Jones, but maintains that he only did so because Legrier lunged at him with a baseball bat. Legrier's family filed the lawsuit against the city. Jones was standing behind Legrier at the time of the shooting, an unintended target.
As attorneys prepare to wrap up their cases, a possible break in at least one of them.
Rialmo attorney Joel Brodsky is dropping his cross suit against the city in return for some other form of compensation.
Earlier, the jury heard from another expert on the police use of force, who testified that what Rialmo did that night is neither in keeping with his training nor police practice.
In a videotape deposition, Chuck Drago was asked if “officers can shoot someone simply because they are in possession of a baseball bat?”
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His answer: “No, a baseball bat is not a deadly weapon.”
Drago also said that officers must consider their backdrop or what is behind the individual they are shooting at.
Drago testified that “if he believes there is someone standing behind the person who shooting at, he shouldn’t be shooting."
