The family seeking damages for the death of their son back in 2013 has been told it can go ahead with its lawsuit.
On May 22, the Texas Supreme Court gave its ruling in the matter concerning a lawsuit filed by the family of Cameron Redus against the University of Incarnate Word.
Have you or a loved one been involved in an accident? Speak to a lawyer for a free no obligation consultation
Or call us at (888) 699-7975
Redus, who was 23 at the time, was shot five times at close range by university policeman Corporal Christopher Carter during a traffic stop near UIW.
Redus died at the scene.
His family took legal action the next year. They alleged that UIW failed to show reasonable care in hiring, training, supervising, and retraining the officer.
The lawsuit also alleges that both the university and the policeman were negligent. The family wants to get compensation for mental anguish as well as funeral and burial expenses.
UIW responded to the lawsuit by saying its police department was an arm of government and it therefore had sovereign immunity.
However, in an 8-1 ruling the Supreme Court said UIW could not have sovereign immunity in relation to law enforcement matters.
The court also said that it had never given such immunity to a fully private entity even if that entity performed some of the functions of government.
The sole dissenting vote came from Chief Justice Nathan Hecht who argued that private university police departments should be entitled to the same immunity as public police departments.
The decision gives the Redus family the green light to continue with their action in the Texas district court.
Disclaimer: The Safety Watch article you just read includes information obtained from numerous sources. These sources include, but are not limited to, websites and press releases from law enforcement, the county coroner, fire departments, and other news outlets. While we strive to provide readers with the most accurate information, sometimes the information received is not entirely accurate. For complete details, please refer to an official police report.
The articles published contain sensitive subject matter that may be hard to read by some. We understand that losing a loved one is hard and devastating. Safety Watch’s decision to share the stories is to help others who may be facing the same situations by providing appropriate resources to the general public.