The Denver Post
Childs family firm on suing city
Wednesday, February 18, 2004 -
Lawyer Johnnie Cochran praised Mayor John Hickenlooper for proposing changes to police oversight after the shooting of Paul Childs but said Tuesday that he has no plans to back off a potential lawsuit against the city.
Cochran held hands with Childs' mother, Helen, outside the mayor's office after an hour-long, closed-door meeting with Hickenlooper and others. He proclaimed the conversation was "outstanding" but said no financial settlement terms were discussed. "We talked about the future," Cochran said. "We talked about this community being safer for all members of the community." Cochran gave Hickenlooper "an A-plus" for his willingness to listen and for the police reforms he proposed in the wake of the shooting death last summer of the developmentally disabled 15-year-old. "They're not living in the past here," Cochran said. "They're looking toward the future." Hickenlooper declined to comment. City Attorney Cole Finegan called the meeting "a good conversation." He said no settlement terms were discussed. "We listened, frankly," Finegan said. The meeting prompted Cochran's first public statements in Denver since Childs' funeral in July. He said he asked for the meeting with Hickenlooper. Cochran represents Childs family members who have filed notice with the city that they intend to sue for more than $5 million. They also have called on city officials to take the officer who shot Childs off the street permanently. "That's the one thing that's not negotiable," said Paul Childs' uncle Michael Thompson, who has been the family's spokesman. Cochran eschewed the flamboyant style he showed during the O.J. Simpson murder trial. Instead, he spoke quietly to reporters and said he was positive the case can be resolved. When asked why he took the case, Cochran replied, "Because I care about this family. I care about this young man. He shouldn't have lost his life." Paul Childs was shot and killed July 5 at his family's northeast Denver home after his family called police when the teen threatened them with a kitchen knife. When officers arrived, Childs walked out from behind a door holding the knife and didn't drop it, despite officers' orders, according to a district attorney's report. Although two officers on the scene had nonlethal Tasers, or stun guns, officer James Turney fired when Childs approached him. After a review by Denver's district attorney, Turney was not charged with a crime. He is suspended with pay over an unrelated incident in which he allegedly threatened his former mother-in-law. Cochran said "officers like Turney or anyone similarly situated" must be held accountable. "Obviously police have a tough job, but they also have to be responsible," Cochran said. "It should not have happened." Finegan said Hickenlooper has taken steps to address concerns raised after the shooting, including the formation of a task force that will examine the use of force by Denver police and civilian oversight of the department. Helen Childs said her motivation is not money. "That won't bring my son back," she said. "All I want is justice." Her daughter, Ashley, brought along her 7-week-old son. AaJaiveon Nash Hall shares Paul's middle name. Despite the apparently cordial tone of the meeting, Cochran said the family has no plans to call off the lawsuit, and he plans to meet again with city officials. "Through all of our work, we will never forget Paul Childs," Cochran said. "This is the first step." |