Craig Carlson was shot in the head by a Grand Traverse County deputy outside his home during a standoff situation in 2007.
Carlson's family says the operation was illegal and that the sheriff did not have a warrant to fire tear gas into the home or try to arrest Carlson.
Friday, an appeals court reversed the ruling of a federal judge who dismissed much of the lawsuit.
READ MORE:http://www.9and10news.com/story/30012153/trial-ordered-for-2007-grand-traverse-county-standoff-off-case
The story of Craig Carlson
When Jackie Smith and Bob Carlson called 911 on the evening of November
9, they were desperate for deputies to check on their brother, Craig
Carlson. He was fearful he couldn’t survive the night alone. He wanted
someone to talk to and asked Jackie to call a police officer.
His
sister and brother, in separate calls to police, reported their concern
that Craig would take his life. At the same time, they cautioned police
that Craig might provoke police to shoot him by pointing a gun. They
thought they were being good citizens. They thought they were saving
Craig from himself.
Instead, their calls triggered a SWAT team
response of some 60 officers – a standoff that would plunge their
brother into an even deeper despair and, ultimately, lead to his death.
After a 12-hour stand-off at Craig’s rural Interlochen home, a police
sniper mortally wounded Carlson with a single shot to the head.
The
Carlson family feels betrayed and wracked with regret. “If I had it to
do over again, I would never have called 911, absolutely not,” said
Jackie Smith, who spent hours on the phone with her brother that night,
from her home in Indiana. “I would have made every attempt to reach his
family doctor to get his psychologist’s name, and to get professional
advice on what to do.”
The family, represented by attorney Grant
Parsons, intends to file a wrongful death lawsuit against the sheriff’s
department. They feel they have a mission. “I hope this lawsuit will
forever change how the sheriff’s department treats mentally ill people.
They can’t do this. We just want to make sure this never happens again,”
said Craig’s mother, Joanne Carlson.
Last week, the Carlson family
gathered in Bob’s living room in Manistee for an exclusive interview
with Northern Express. They spoke about the police stand-off with Craig
that began on a frigid, clear night on November 9.
READ MORE:http://www.northernexpress.com/michigan/article-3351-the-story-of-craig-carlson.html
Police Sharpshooter Testifies In Wrongful Death Lawsuit
A Grand Traverse County deputy testified in federal court he had no choice but to shoot Craig Carlson after a stand off at the man’s Interlochen home in 2007. Wednesday’s testimony was the first time Charlie Jetter has spoken publically about the shot he fired, ending an 11-hour barricade.Arriving On Scene
Deputy Charlie Jetter lived close to Craig Carlson’s home in Interlochen. He was one of the earlier officers to arrive on the scene as part of a regional SWAT team.
Jetter left his patrol car at a nearby park, dressed in camouflage and grabbed his riffle, knowing very little, he says, about the man who had armed himself and requested officers at his home.
On and off during the night, Jetter observed the house and Carlson, who was inside. Jetter first watched first from the back, later from the front of the house.
And after 11 hours of standoff, Jetter testified Wednesday he heard Carlson yelling threats. Over the radio, Jetter heard an officer say Carlson had him “pinned down,” and in a tone that Jetter said made his hair raise, the officer asked for a sniper’s eyes on the situation.
READ MORE:http://interlochenpublicradio.org/post/police-sharpshooter-testifies-wrongful-death-lawsuit
Federal lawsuit targets GT sheriff's deputy
A federal lawsuit that targets a sheriff's deputy who shot and killed an Interlochen man during a 2007 standoff could hinge on defense efforts to conceal allegations of police errors and lost or missing evidence.
The lawsuit seeks an award of over $3 million for the estate of Craig Carlson and is scheduled to go to trial Sept. 17 in U.S. District Court in Grand Rapids. The Grand Traverse County Board of Commissioners recently rejected a settlement negotiated by its insurance company, meaning taxpayers are on the hook if the county loses at trial.
Grand Traverse sheriff's deputy Charles Jetter shot and killed Craig Carlson on Nov. 10, 2007, after an 11-hour standoff at Carlson's home. County lawyers want to block evidence from trial that could detail how police officials ran the stand-off, as well as allegations that evidence was either mishandled or destroyed a Michigan State Police follow-up probe. "This complaint is all about police misconduct and a cover-up," said Grant Parsons, who represents Carlson's family. "They want to block evidence that makes up the core of our case. It's a dirty laundry list that no one should be proud of." Christopher Cooke, the county's attorney, said the county wants to exclude evidence connected to lawsuit defendants that subsequently were dismissed from the case, or actions taken by state police after the incident.
READ MORE:http://www.record-eagle.com/news/local_news/federal-lawsuit-targets-gt-sheriff-s-deputy/article_72c5efa7-085f-5c2d-90b4-9c079d5b6bf3.html
Grand Traverse County sheriff's sniper cleared in lawsuit over standoff death
GRAND TRAVERSE COUNTY, MI – A sheriff’s sergeant acted appropriately when he shot and killed a man after an 11-hour standoff in northern Michigan, a federal jury ruled.The jury on Thursday, Oct. 31, found that Sgt. Charles Jetter did not use excessive force in violation of Craig Carlson’s constitutional rights.
The death occurred on Nov. 10, 2007, in the village of Karlin.
Carlson called dispatchers and said he was suicidal. Hours later, police say, Carlson picked up a gun and pointed it at officers before Jetter, assigned as a police observer and sniper, shot him.
READ MORE:http://www.mlive.com/news/grand-rapids/index.ssf/2013/11/grand_traverse_county_sheriffs_2.html
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