Man cleared of unknowingly firing at Minneapolis officers in self-defense files lawsuit
Jaleel Stallings was charged in the May 2020 incident and acquitted.
Jaleel Stallings, a man found not guilty on all charges of shooting at Minneapolis police during the unrest that followed George Floyd's murder last year, filed a federal lawsuit Thursday against the city and several of its officers, alleging the use of excessive force and several constitutional rights violations.
Stallings' attorney, Eric Rice, released extensive body camera footage earlier this month that showed Stallings, who had a permit to carry a firearm in public, returning fire at police in self-defense after they fired a marking round at him without warning from an unmarked van on May 30, 2020. Stallings immediately surrendered upon learning they were police officers but was assaulted while on the ground, the video showed. In the footage released by Rice, Lt. Johnny Mercil can be heard saying he believed a group of protesters were white "because there's not looting and fires," while Cmdr. Bruce Folkens referenced "hunting people" during the unrest. Both have since left the department.
