Thread: Green Bay:Families of 2 shot by police plan to sue city

Families of 2 shot by police plan to sue city of Green Bay

Incident outside Studio 720 killed one man, injured another

By Corinthia McCoy
cmccoy@greenbaypressgazette.com


Attorneys for the family of a man killed by police and a bystander shot by officers during the same incident have filed claims to sue the city of Green Bay.


The family of Ben Sonnenberg filed a claim Thursday, shortly after Cesar Grijalva-Ortiz and his family filed theirs.


Sonnenberg, 25, was shot 11 times and killed during a traffic stop on April 21 outside of Studio 720, 720 Bodart St. Police accidentally shot Grijalva-Ortiz, 31, who was inside the club.


Neither claim specifies the amount of damages.


"What I'm personally after is the truth because it hasn't been given yet, and hopefully the truth will come out," said Bill Sonnenberg, Ben's father. Attorney John Peterson of Peterson, Berk & Cross represents the Sonnenberg family.


As a result of the incident, Grijalva-Ortiz lives with a bullet in his chest. His attorney, Kristen Hooker of Liebmann, Conway, Olejniczak, & Jerry, said her client continues to undergo treatment.


"At this point it's way too early in the process to have a definitive amount" of damages she said.


The claim, required by law, is the first step in the process to file a suit against the city, the Green Bay Police Department and the officers involved, Hooker said.


The city has 128 days to respond, deny or ignore the claim. If the claim is denied or ignored, a full suit can be filed.


The Brown County District Attorney's Office cleared the four police officers involved in the shooting.


Green Bay City Attorney Allison Swanson plans to send a letter by the end of this week to request the damages before assessing the claims.


An outside council from Gunta & Reak of Milwaukee will handle the case, Swanson said. The firm usually handles police matters and civil rights issues for the city. The city will represent each entity and person listed in the claim.


In Grijalva-Ortiz's claim, it states the city, the police department and the four officers involved, were negligent and reckless and among other things failed to keep control of their firearms and negligently and recklessly fired in Grijalva-Ortiz's direction.


Sonnenberg's claim was unavailable Thursday, but Swanson confirmed it was filed.


Grijalva-Ortiz admitted he's an illegal immigrant, but his status cannot stop him from filing, Swanson said.


"Certainly anybody can file a claim," she said.


Green Bay Council President Chad Fradette on Thursday said, "I find it peculiar that in this day and age when a person admits that they are an illegal alien that ICE won't deport them. They won't do anything about it."


Swanson recently asked council members not to comment on the case to keep it from escalating, but Fradette had told other local media that illegal immigrants should not be able to sue the city over an unintentional act.


However, Grijalva-Ortiz's attorney said her client has the right to sue under a more than 20-year-old U.S. Supreme Court decision.


"Illegal aliens are afforded the same constitutional rights that citizens in the US are afforded," Hooker said.


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"Illegal aliens are afforded the same constitutional rights that citizens in the US are afforded," Hooker said.


No they are not!! That is what all you anti-Americans and the MSM want everyone to believe.

I'm waiting for someone to start SUING..

Our government, at ALL levels, for NOT doing their jobs by allowing sanctuary for illegals to thrive..

..'Other' countries, by 'promoting' the mass exodus..

..and illegal EMPLOYERS, INCLUDING all religions that aid and abet ..

..for the “Wavesâ€