Unarmed North Miami therapist shot by police sues
MIAMI -- An unarmed black therapist is suing the Florida police officer who shot him while he tried to protect his autistic client.
The Miami Herald reports Charles Kinsey filed a federal lawsuit Thursday against North Miami officer Jonathan Aledda, accusing him and other officers of using excessive force and false arrest.
The 47-year-old Kinsey is seeking unspecified damages. Aledda shot Kinsey in the leg July 18 as he lay in the street next to his 27-year-old client. Arnaldo Rios had walked away from the group home where he lives. Kinsey was trying to coax him back when a woman called 911 saying a suicidal man was walking down the street with a gun. Rios was actually carrying his toy truck.
The head of the Miami police union has said Aledda couldn't hear Kinsey yelling that he was a therapist and that Rios was autistic. Aledda thought Rios was theatening Kinsey and the shot he fired was intended to hit Rios, but missed, according to the union.
A cellphone video captured events leading up to the shooting, showing Kinsey lying on the ground with his hands in the air.
Aledda has been placed on leave along with another officer at the scene who police initially said made conflicting statements. But Thursday, Miami prosecutors reportedly found that the second officer didn't lie when he told investigators he didn't witness the shooting because he had returned to a police cruiser at the time the shot was fired.
Prosecutors said they wouldn't file charges against that officer, reports the Herald.
The shooting is under investigation by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement.