YARMOUTH, Mass.—The girlfriend of a man shot dead by a Yarmouth police officer after a high-speed car chase has sued the town and the officer.
Camila Campos filed a lawsuit in federal cCourt in Boston, alleging that Officer Christopher Van Ness used excessive force when he shot and killed Andre Luiz de Castro Martins in July 2008 and the town did not properly train Van Ness.
The suit did not specify damages.
Van Ness was cleared of wrongdoing by Cape and Islands District Attorney Michael O'Keefe and continues to work for the department. An investigation determined that Martins gunned his car toward Van Ness, and the officer shot Martins through the heart and lung.
A lawyer for Van Ness tells the Cape Cod Times there is no question the officer acted appropriately.
------
Information from: Cape Cod Times, http://www.capecodonline.com
