[color="DarkRed"]Jarrell goes for a gun; Deputy shoots Jarrell; Jarrell’s family sues

[color="Blue"]Several posts giving you background to this story

Earlier Booking photo of Jarrell S. Walker

Family sues in shooting death

The suit says a deputy used excessive force in shooting an unarmed 19-year-old in 2005.

Published July 7, 2007

ST. PETERSBURG - The family of an unarmed man killed by a deputy during a drug investigation has sued the deputy and Pinellas County Sheriff Jim Coats.

Jarrell S. Walker, 19, (a Black) was shot inside his home two years ago by Deputy Christopher Taylor in an incident that brought some criticism to the sheriff's office, particularly from the African-American community.

Taylor had gone to the house at 3143 16th Ave. S on April 12, 2005, with other deputies to serve a warrant.

… The suit says that Walker's rights to due process and protection from unreasonable searches and seizures were violated. …

A SWAT team served the warrant at Walker's home after an undercover deputy said he bought drugs that came from that house, the suit states.

Three (Black) men - Terrell Coley, Dorian Williams and Monteil Collier - were asleep in the garage. Walker was asleep on the couch in the living room while his son slept in a back room.

Deputy Taylor came in the house and ordered Walker to drop to the floor, the suit says. Walker complied by lying on his chest.

Taylor never ordered Walker to move away from the couch, the suit states. Instead, Taylor struck Walker with his boot at least once.

"Claiming later that Mr. Walker appeared as if he was retrieving a firearm from under the same couch on which he was asleep moments before, Taylor fired his Glock twice into Mr. Walker's back from no more than 2-3 feet away, " the suit claims.

Deputies said they found drugs and guns in the home.

The Pinellas-Pasco State Attorney's Office ruled the shooting a justifiable homicide.

It determined that Walker was reaching for something under the couch and refused repeated orders to show his hand. A loaded handgun was found nearby. …

Late last year, the (U.S.) Justice Department determined that Taylor did not violate Walker's civil rights.
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Source for the above text: http://www.sptimes.com/2007/07/07/Southpinellas/Family_sues_in_shooti.shtml

[color="Blue"]Now let’s look at Jarrell’s Family

Family of man killed in controversial raid arrested

Wanda Walker, 52, and her son Orin Walker, 24, mother and brother of Jarrell Walker, killed by deputies in earlier raid this year, were arrested on drug charges at the same address.

By CHRIS TISCH, Times Staff Writer -- Published October 15, 2005

ST. PETERSBURG - The mother and brother of a St. Petersburg man killed in a controversial deputy shooting earlier this year were arrested Friday night on multiple drug charges, and jailed on more than a half-million dollars bail.

Wanda Walker, 52, and her son, Orin Walker, 24, were arrested after Pinellas sheriff's deputies raided their home Friday night. They are the mother and brother of Jarrell Walker, who was shot to death by a deputy in a similar raid in April.
Both raids occurred at the same address, 3143 16th Ave. S, which is the family's home.

In the April raid, Pinellas deputies said Jarrell Walker, 19, was lying on a couch when deputies forced their way into the home with a search warrant. Walker slid to the floor and appeared to be searching for something under a couch. He refused repeated commands to show his hands. …

Cpl. Christopher Taylor, then a member of the agency's SWAT team, shot Walker twice in the back. Walker died from the wounds.

… Wanda Walker spoke frequently to the media about her outrage over her son's death. And Orin Walker was charged with inciting a riot against police about a month after the shooting.

Deputies had raided the home in April after an undercover investigation had indicated brisk drug activity in the home.

After the shooting, detectives learned the activity was continuing.
"Quite frankly, I don't think it slowed down since the last time we were there," Pinellas Sheriff Jim Coats said Saturday. "They felt they were safe because the sheriff wouldn't dare come back. My position is, we should not ignore folks who possess and sell illegal drugs." …

Inside, deputies reported finding more than four ounces of powder cocaine, 26 grams of crack cocaine, 89 grams of hydrocodone, 14 grams of MDMA, 10 grams of Percocet and 32 grams of marijuana. …
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Source for the above text: http://www.sptimes.com/2005/10/15/Southpinellas/Family_of_man_killed_.shtml