$25 million suit against Metro goes to trial

Jace Radke

Monday, Dec. 9, 2002 | 10:21 a.m.

A $25 million civil rights lawsuit filed by the mother of a man shot and killed by Metro Police in 1999 is scheduled to go to trial today in federal court.

Metro Police have already paid $325,000 to the 3-year-old daughter of John Perrin in a settlement of a portion of the federal case. At issue beginning today is the suit filed by Perrin's mother, Connie Perrin, who is serving as executor of his estate.

Officer Bruce Gentner shot and killed Perrin, 32, in a vacant lot near Rainbow Boulevard and Tropicana Avenue on April 12, 1999.

Gentner said he stopped Perrin after the officer saw a suspected drug deal. Perrin also had jaywalked, police said.

At a Clark County Coroner's inquest Gentner testified that he believed Perrin was a drug dealer who was reaching for a gun in the dimly lit lot near the back of a convenience store. Gentner fired 14 times, striking Perrin six times. Perrin didn't have a gun. He allegedly had been carrying a jar that contained a chemical used to manufacture methamphetamine. Perrin was also carrying a basketball.

Gentner said Perrin made a move toward his waistband as he approached the officer.

The inquest jury voted 6-1 that the shooting was justified, and Gentner remains an officer employed with Metro.

Representing Connie Perrin and the estate are local attorney Brent Bryson and Oakland, Calif., civil rights lawyer John Burris, who helped win a $3.8 million award for Rodney King against the Los Angeles Police Department.

One focus of the trial will be the training Gentner received as a Metro officer.

The lawsuit alleges Metro "had prior notice of the vicious propensity of Gentner and his disregard for the civil rights of citizens, but took no steps to train him, correct his abuse of authority or discourage his misconduct."

When Metro settled the portion of the case involving Perrin's 3-year-old daughter in November, the department's attorney, Thomas Dillard, would not elaborate on why the deal was made, but said there was no admission of fault by the department.

The trial will be held before U.S. District Court Judge Roger Hunt.