Arnetta Grable wants justice. That’s why she publicly fired her attorneys for trying to force her to accept the $2.25 million the city of Detroit offered her and her family earlier this month to settle the lawsuit regarding the fatal shooting of her son Lamar Grable by police officer Eugene Brown.
Grable says she wants her day in court to bring to light a police report on her son’s case and three other shootings by Brown. Whether her action will lead to a trial is far from clear.
Brown has shot nine people during his six-year career, killing three of them. Deputy Police Chief Walter Shoulders and two commanders reinvestigated four of those shootings and issued a report last September. According to a Detroit Free Press story, Shoulders concluded that none of the shootings were justified. But the Police Department will not publicly release the document. And it seems that Wayne County Circuit Court Judge Isidore Torres, who is presiding over the case, won’t either.
“The judge would not give us Shoulder’s report,” says Sheldon Miller, Grable’s former attorney.
Torres did not return News Hits’ phone calls.
The trial, which was scheduled to begin Nov. 13, was adjourned when a court-appointed guardian accepted the $2.25 million on behalf Lamar’s two siblings and daughter.
“When he did that,” says Grable, “I fired both attorneys.”
Grable says she dismissed her attorneys because they did not object to the guardian’s acceptance of the settlement.
It is unknown what will result from the firing, but Wayne County Probate Court Judge Milton Mack could decide to approve the guardian’s acceptance of the money. A hearing is scheduled for Nov. 30.
Whatever happens, it seems unlikely that the public will ever see Shoulders’ report.
Ann Mullen contributed to News Hits, which is edited by Curt Guyette. He can be reached at 313-202-8004 or [email protected]
