May 27, 2009 - A jury has begun deliberations in the wrongful death trial of Minneapolis police officer Jason Andersen. Andersen shot and killed 19-year-old Fong Lee in 2006.
May 27, 2009 - Final arguments will be held today in the wrongful death trial of Minneapolis police officer Jason Andersen. Testimony wrapped up yesterday in federal court in St. Paul.
May 28, 2009 - Members of a Minneapolis family say they are angry that a city police officer who shot and killed 19-year-old Fong Lee in 2006 has been cleared of civil wrongful-death charges. Today a jury ruled that officer Jason Andersen did not use excessive force when he shot Lee eight times. Andersen had been cleared of criminal charges by a grand jury in 2007. So the family filed a civil suit against the city. They insist Lee was unarmed and that officers planted a gun near his body. Lee's older sister Shoua says the family's legal fight will continue.
May 28, 2009 - Members of the Hmong community say they are angry that a jury cleared a Minneapolis officer of civil charges in the shooting death of Fong Lee in 2006. The jury found that officer Jason Andersen did not use excessive force. Andersen testified that Lee was carrying a gun and that he felt his life was in danger. Family members say Lee was unarmed and they allege that police officers planted a gun next to Lee's body. Community activist Tou Ger Xiong attended the trial each day. He says the ruling will further strain already tense relations between communities of color and law enforcement.
May 28, 2009 - A jury ruled today that Minneapolis police officer Jason Andersen did not use excessive force when he shot and killed 19-year-old Fong Lee in 2006. Family members say they are angry about the verdict. And they complained that the judge allowed the verdict to be announced before they could get to the courtroom to hear it in person.
May 29, 2009 - The family of Fong Lee is calling for a federal, independent investigation into the Minneapolis teen's 2006 shooting. After two days of deliberations, a jury found Minneapolis police officer Jason Andersen did not use excessive force when he shot and killed 19-year-old Fong Lee outside a north Minneapolis elementary school. Lee's family claims Lee was unarmed, and alleges officers planted a gun on the body. Andersen and the city of Minneapolis have maintained it was Lee's gun and that Andersen fired in fear for his life. Family members say the Hmong community can no longer trust the police department. Attorney Chris Wachtler regularly represents the St Paul and Minneapolis Police Federations. He says the jury ruled based on the evidence.
May 29, 2009 - Members of the Hmong community are reacting with anger to yesterday's verdict in the Fong Lee case. A federal jury in St. Paul found that a Minneapolis police officer did not use excessive force in the shooting of 19-year old Lee three years ago.
May 29, 2009 - The family of Fong Lee is calling for an independent federal investigation, after a federal jury found a Minneapolis police officer did not use excessive force when he fatally shot Lee in 2006. Jason Andersen shot 19-year-old Fong Lee outside a north Minneapolis elementary school. Lee's family claims Lee was unarmed, and alleges the officer planted a gun on the body. Andersen and the city of Minneapolis have maintained it was Lee's gun and that Andersen fired in fear for his life. Activist Tou Ger Xiong, from the Coalition for Community Relations, says the verdict sends the message that people of color cannot trust the police.
May 29, 2009 - Members of the Hmong community say they are angry that a jury cleared a Minneapolis officer of civil charges in the shooting death of Fong Lee in 2006. The jury found that officer Jason Andersen did not use excessive force. Andersen testified that Lee was carrying a gun and that he felt his life was in danger. Family members say Lee was unarmed and they allege that police officers planted a gun next to Lee's body. Community activist Tou Ger Xiong attended the trial each day. He says the ruling will further strain already tense relations between communities of color and law enforcement.
May 31, 2009 - Hmong community groups rallied yesterday in St Paul to protest this week's decision in the Fong Lee case. A federal jury found that a Minneapolis police officer did not use excessive force in the 2006 shooting death of 19-year old Lee. Lee's family has claimed that Lee was unarmed and alleges that officers planted a gun near his body. Officer Jason Andersen and the city of Minneapolis have maintained that it was Lee's gun, and that Andersen fired in fear for his life. Tou Ger Xiong from the Coalition for Community Relations says the Hmong community has been betrayed by the police department.