Opinion ID: 1529521
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: The Plaintiff's Version.

Text: Counsel for the plaintiff presented testimony which, if credited, suggested that Garcia Etheredge was shot without justification. Etheredge testified that, as he was coming down the stairs, he saw the two police officers with their pistols drawn. The male officer ordered him to drop the gun or I will shoot. Etheredge immediately turned around, so that he was facing Bambi and Vaughn, who had remained on the second floor landing. Attempting to comply as best he could with a police command to drop a handgun which he did not have, Etheredge reached into his left pants pocket with his left hand [3] and threw a closed switchblade knife over the banister. Etheredge described the ensuing sequence of events as follows: Q. After you took the knife out of your pocket and threw it in the manner that was shown to the Court and jury, what did you do next? What did you do with your left hand? A. Then I brought my hand down. Then the Officer told me to stop and then he shot me. Q. That was the second time that you had been told to stop? A. No. I had not been told to stop at first. I was told to drop a gun at first. Q. So, that was the second remark by the Officer? A. Right. Q. Then you were shot? A. Right. Q. When you were shot, Mr. Etheredge, which direction were you facing? A. I was facing towards going up the steps. Q. That would be with your back directly to the officers? A. Yes, with my back, yes, with my back towards the officer. Q. Where were you shot, sir? A. I was shot in the back, almost in the center of my back. Q. Did you at any time turn your body either to the right or to the left after throwing the knife over the banister? A. No, I didn't. Q. Did you at any time turn your body to the right or to the left after you started back up the steps and had gone facing in that direction? A. No. I didn't. Etheredge denied as not correct a suggestion by counsel for the District that the knife left his hand after he was shot. He testified that while he was lying on the ground, wounded, the male officer frisked him. Etheredge demanded why the fuck did you shoot me and spat in the officer's face. Etheredge was placed under arrest for assault on a police officer with a deadly weapon. He was taken to the hospital, where he was handcuffed to his bed. He remained a prisoner until the charges against him were dismissed in August 1989. Bambi Kerns testified that at the time of the shooting, she was on the landing at the top of the steps, three to six feet from Etheredge. She was holding Vaughn in her arms. She stated that when the police came in, the male officer told Etheredge to stop or halt. [4] Etheredge turned around and started to walk up the steps. She saw Etheredge throw something over the banister with his left hand and place his hand back at his side. Ms. Kerns then heard a shot, which struck Etheredge in the back; she did not witness the shooting itself. Ms. Kerns testified that Etheredge was not turning at the time he was shot.