Barmore trial opens with emotional testimony about 'life and death' struggle

From the Rockford Register Star

ROCKFORD — A long-awaited civil trial in the August 2009 officer-involved shooting death of Mark Anthony Barmore opened with a contentious and emotional day of testimony...

Barmore, 23, was shot and killed Aug. 24, 2009, during a confrontation with the Rockford police officers who had pursued him into the House of Grace day care located inside the Kingdom Authority Church, 518 N. Church St., and down into a basement area where children were playing. Barmore hid inside a boiler room adjacent to the basement area..

But questions from lawyers Craig Sandberg and Keenan Saulter, representing the Brown family, who own and operate the church and day care, and the children who were present during the shooting, made it clear the officers never saw Barmore with a weapon. They also questioned why the officers had forced their way through a metal door to the boiler room where Barmore was attempting to hide...

'What happened in this particular case was an imminently preventable situation,' Sandberg said during opening arguments. 'It was caused by the reckless and willful conduct of the city of Rockford through its officers.'...

Click here to read the full article on the Rockford Register Star website.