A former police chief testified that a sheriff's deputy had no legitimate reason to open fire when he shot and paralyzed an unarmed, young black man.
Former Tallahassee chief Melvin L. Tucker told a federal grand jury in Fort Lauderdale on Wednesday that Palm Beach County deputy Adams Lin violated proper police procedures several times before shooting 22-year-old Dontrell Stephens in September 2013 after he stopped him for riding his bicycle in traffic.
Tucker said Lin did not perform a proper threat assessment as he followed Stephens in his patrol car. He said Lin should have noticed that Stephens was talking on a cellphone in his right hand and did not appear to be agitated.
Stephens is suing Lin and the sheriff's office, alleging they violated his civil rights.
