Jury rules in favor of four LCPD officers in civil rights lawsuit

LAS CRUCES, New Mexico (KVIA)- The Las Cruces Police Department (LCPD) announced Wednesday a United States District Court jury exonerated four Las Cruces Police Department officers who were defendants in a federal civil rights lawsuit stemming from a March 2021 vehicle pursuit and shooting involving a 25-year-old man.

Jonathan Lamar Strickland, 25 at the time of the 2021 shooting, filed the federal lawsuit against the four officers claiming they violated his Fourth Amendment rights by discharging multiple rounds into his pickup after he attempted to flee from police.

During the March 11, 2021 incident, Strickland was struck by seven gunshots from the officers, that LCPD say were proven to be non-life threatening.

In the lawsuit, Strickland sought $25 million in compensatory damages and asked for the jury to consider an additional $75 million in punitive damages.

The jury unanimously ruled in favor of the LCPD officers finding that the officers did not use excessive force during the incident on March 11, 2021.

“We are grateful to the jury for their careful consideration and decision, which affirms the professionalism of our officers,” said Las Cruces Police Chief Jeremy Story. “Our officers are well-trained public servants who are routinely called upon to make difficult decisions in rapidly evolving situations.”

ABC 7 originally reported on this story when the incident first occurred.