An attorney for the family of Michael Brown indicated Sunday the family to sue either the Ferguson, Mo., Police Department, the police officer who shot and killed Brown, or both.
Appearing on “Fox News Sunday,” lawyer Daryl Parks said in response to a question about a potential civil suit: “We’ll certainly give the parties involved a chance to work it out.”
Parks further explained: “It could be a settlement. It could be a chance for litigation.”
Neil Bruntranger, an attorney for Officer Darren Wilson, said the bar for a successful civil suit would be higher than that for a criminal action.
“It’s not just that you intended to pull the trigger; it’s that you intend to deprive them of their civil rights,” said Bruntranger, also appearing on the program.
Wilson shot the 18-year-old Brown on Aug. 9 during an attempt to arrest Brown in connection with a Ferguson convenience store robbery earlier that day. Brown was unarmed, and the incident sparked an outcry in the city and across the country.
A grand jury declined to indict Wilson last week on charges related to Brown’s death. The announcement sparked riots and protests in the city. On Saturday, Wilson resigned from the force, saying his continued presence would put his fellow officers and the city at risk.
