Family of Man Slain By Anaheim Police Wins Ninth Circuit Appeal

The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled today that a wrongful death lawsuit of a man gunned down by Anaheim police should be decided by a jury. On December 11, 2009, five officers opened fire, killing 35-year-old Caesar Cruz in a Wal-Mart parking lot. Chief Judge Alex Kozinski cited "curious and material factual discrepancies" in finding a lower court's dismissal of the civil suit in error.

"Honestly, I'm excited," says Theresa Smith, Cruz's mother. "For me, winning the reversal shows that the whole system, from the police, to the Orange County District Attorney, to the lower court, did something wrong."

Read more on my latest OC Weekly Navel Gazing Blog post:

http://blogs.ocweekly.com/navelgazing/2014/08/federal_appeals_court_overturns.php