Johnnie Cochran's firm sues Oakland cops who killed colleague JUSTIN PRITCHARD, Associated Press Writer Wednesday, April 11, 2001 ©2001 Associated Press
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(04-11) 17:08 PDT SAN FRANCISCO (AP) -- The family of an Oakland policeman killed while making an undercover arrest is suing the two fellow officers who shot him.
The civil suit was filed Tuesday in U.S. District Court in Oakland by Johnnie Cochran Jr., the lawyer who defended O.J. Simpson against murder charges.
The suit alleges that rookie officers Tim Scarrott, 24, and Andrew Koponen, 29, used ``excessive, unjustifiable'' force when they shot Officer William ``Willie'' Wilkins. It also alleges that Oakland's police department deliberately ignored signs the two officers were reckless.
An internal police investigation concluded Scarrott and Koponen, who have been on paid leave, did nothing wrong.
The partners shot Wilkins, 29, as he held a suspected car thief at gunpoint the night of Jan. 11. The police department concluded Scarrott and Koponen didn't know Wilkins was an officer, and ordered him to drop his gun, but that Wilkins reacted as if he was about to shoot the thief.
``Scarrott and Koponen did everything according to the (police) policy manual, they did everything right,'' said their lawyer, Michael Rains. ``I was hoping the tragedy in everyone's life would be over ... but we're back at it now.''
Oakland city attorney John Russo declined comment other than to say, ``You can fill in the blanks that a case is released to the press before it's served on us.''
The suit disputes the Oakland police department's conclusion that Scarrott and Koponen acted properly.
Contrary to the internal investigation, the suit says, Wilkins clearly radioed other officers that he was breaking off a drug stakeout to pursue the suspected car thief; that the pair did not warn Wilkins before firing, and that Wilkins' badge was visible as Scarrott and Koponen approached
``This situation was totally preventable,'' said Brian Dunn, a lawyer at Cochran's Los Angeles firm. ``He did not have to die out there.''
The suit also alleges Oakland police knew Scarrott and Koponen were ``dangerous and violent employees, prone to fire their firearms.'' Dunn offered as proof the incident itself.
Rains said neither officer had any discipline problems.
``They didn't have a complaint of anything, let alone excessive force,'' Rains said. ``This is an allegation that will never be proven because it's simply untrue.''
Cochran has pursued a similar suit, seeking $20 million in damages, in Rhode Island. This suit, filed by Wilkins' wife, year-old son and parents, does not specify damages.
©2001 Associated Press