Families of 2 people fatally struck by Michigan police cruisers file excessive force lawsuits
(CBS DETROIT) - The families of two Michigan men who died after run-ins with police filed civil lawsuits in federal and state court, citing excessive force led to their deaths.
The families of Riley Doggett and Samuel Sterling joined their attorneys in Detroit on Friday to share their decision to file federal and state complaints against the Kent County Sheriff's Office and Michigan State Police, claiming the incidents highlight "systemic law enforcement failures."
"They posed no threat. They both were running away from the officers. So, why would the officers use their automobiles as weapons to kill these young men?" said attorney Ben Crump.
Attorney Ven Johnson said, "It should not be different rules for a police officer, and worse yet, when we do not take care of our own when we don't punish, when the cities or the counties do not punish their officers in a blatant violation of their policies, it teaches the other officers, 'It's okay, you can get away with it too."
On April 8, 2024, a Kent County Sheriff's cruiser struck Doggett while he was running away after a car chase. He died from his injuries a month later.
Doggett's mother, Becky Wilbert, says reliving that day never gets easier.
"We just went through holidays without a piece of our family. You are Christmas shopping, and you can't buy for that one anymore. It's not easy, but we're getting through it together," said Wilbert.
Less than two weeks later, Sterling was hit and killed by a former Michigan State Police detective while running from a task force as they tried to arrest him.
During the press conference, relatives struggled to watch the police footage of the incidents, with Sterling's father covering his eyes as the moments when his son was hit began to play.
"How am I supposed to tell my grandsons that an officer that was supposed to serve and protect us killed their dad? I still haven't come up with that answer," said Sterling's mother, Andrica Cage.
While the officer involved in Sterling's case, Sgt. Brian Keely faces murder and involuntary manslaughter charges in federal court, the deputy in Doggett's case, Josiah McMains, does not.
In their decision not to charge the officer, Kent County prosecutors said they could not find any evidence of intent to kill the 17-year-old.
Attorneys for the families say these choices are a significant reason for pushing these lawsuits forward.
"Police officers should not be above the law. They should be representative of the law," said Crump.
CBS News Detroit reached out to the Kent County Sheriff's Office, which says it has not been served with any lawsuit in connection to the Doggett case and is unable to comment. Meanwhile, Michigan State Police declined to comment on pending litigation but directed us to previous public statements involving the Sterling case.
