LA PORTE, Texas --
Six years after a La Porte man was killed by four police officers, his mother could finally get her day in court, KPRC Local 2 reported Wednesday.
"It's still very hard, even after all these years," said Stennie Meadours.
Meadours is suing the La Porte Police Department. She said she is still trying to fight for justice after her son, Bob, was shot to death in October 2001.
She said her son had been diagnosed with bipolar disorder, and was having a mental crisis when the family tried to call for mental help. The dispatcher sent police officers.
Minutes after police arrived at the home in the 3100 block of Hamilton Street, shots rang out and Bob Meadours was dead.
The officers involved said Bob Meadours threatened them with a screwdriver. One of the officers fired a beanbag, when Bob Meadours did not stop, the officers used bullets in self-defense, they said.
Six years later, the United States Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals has cleared the way for the police officers to be sued. According to court documents, Steven Ermel, Jeffrey Dalton, Jeffrey Kominek, and Steven Martin could be put on trial in civil court.
They were not convicted of any crime after the incident.
The police officers' lawyer said the ruling does not mean there will be a trial, but there could be. He said they will now try to get individual immunity for each officer.
KPRC Local 2 legal expert Brian Wise said this type of decision is rare.
"You've got a Texas Appeals Court, one of the most conservative in the country, saying the officers are not granted immunity based on their argument of self defense," Wice said. "This is going to trial sooner or later."
Stennie Meadours said she has been waiting for this chance.
"I hope for a chance that the officers can be held accountable, and that no one else will ever have to go through this," she said.
The four officers are still working for the La Porte Police Department. They declined to be interviewed for this story.
No dollar amount has been set in the case.
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