Jacob Blake's attorneys file federal civil rights lawsuit against Kenosha Officer Rusten Sheskey

 

KENOSHA, Wis. (CBS 58) -- The family of Jacob Blake filed a lawsuit Thursday, March 25, against the Kenosha police officer who shot him last summer.

They’re seeking money from the city, but haven’t specified a dollar amount. What the family and attorney say they truly want is to hold the city accountable.

A violent encounter with Kenosha police last August left Jacob Blake paralyzed from the waist down.

“He’s still in a significant amount of pain,” said Justin Blake, Jacob’s uncle.

The complaint names only one defendant, Rusten Shesky who shot Blake seven times after being brought to the block on a domestic call.

“You know he will likely never walk again, however while he’s not able to walk, he’s taking his first step today by filing this lawsuit,” said B’Ivory Lamar, Blake’s attorney.

The suit says Blake was leaving when officers arrived, and that at no time did Blake attempt to run or strike any officer. The video shows him reaching into his car before the shots were fired.

“And what happened before that video was that Jacob was assaulted by those same officers. He was beat, he was punched, he was kicked, he was tased,” said Lamar.

B’Ivory Lamar says his client was afraid.

“He looked up and he believed, and he said God, I guess this is it, I’m on my way,” said Lamar.

Lamar points to the George Floyd case, saying Minneapolis stepped up and did the right thing by paying $27 million to the family. Now it’s Kenosha's turn.

“We need cities to say this is not the way we train our officers and we’re going to do the right thing, and that’s what’s going to move our country forward,” said Lamar.

“This is not Mississippi. They’re not gonna terrorize African American citizens of Wisconsin, specifically Kenosha, any longer,” said Justin Blake.

We reached out to Kenosha police for comment, but haven’t yet heard back.