Family Of Man With Autism Sues Ex-Cop Over His Death

LOS ANGELES (AP) — A jury is weighing a lawsuit filed by the family of a man with Autism who was shot and killed three years ago by a Los Angeles police officer.

Mohammad Usman Chaudhry died in March 2008 after a confrontation with Officer Joseph Cruz in Hollywood. Cruz had spotted Chaudhry under a balcony behind an apartment building and started questioning him about what he was doing.

Cruz fatally shot Chaudhry after he said he suddenly pulled out a knife and lunged with it.

Cruz was later fired from the police force for lying about a different incident.

Chaudhry's family claims the officer planted the knife after the shooting. The case highlights a challenge law enforcement increasingly faces: How to approach people with developmental disorders.

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