Andrew Brown’s estate seeks $30M from 2 NC sheriffs, 7 deputies. Here are the details.

A $30 million lawsuit filed on behalf of Andrew Brown Jr. estate’s Wednesday contends two North Carolina sheriffs and seven deputies unlawfully used deadly force against an unarmed man who was fleeing officers because he was scared.

The lawsuit was filed against seven Pasquotank County deputies, Pasquotank Sheriff Tommy Wooten and Dare County Sheriff Doug Doughtie.

The lawsuit contends they deprived Brown of his constitutional rights by using unlawful deadly force on an an unarmed man who didn’t pose a threat. It accuses them of wrongful death and battery and assault.

“Brown died as a result of members of the PCSO’s and/or DCSO’s intentional and reckless disregard of his life and safety,” the lawsuit states.

The estate is represented by civil rights attorneys Harry Daniels, Ben Crump Jr. of and Bakari Sellers, who have officers in Atlanta, Washington D.C., and Columbia, South Carolina, respectively.

Daniels told The News & Observer on Tuesday that the lawsuit will also seek the release of body-camera footage and other information that will finally bring Brown’s death in Elizabeth City to complete light.

“We are going to get the full transparency leading up to the incident,” Daniels said. “We are seeking all files, officer personnel files, everything we are entitled to get.”

Brown killed April 21

On the morning of April 21, Brown was shot and killed in his car outside his home in Elizabeth City by Pasquotank deputies.

The deputies were trying to serve arrest warrants related to two Dare County drug charges and search warrants on suspected drug charges in Pasquotank County on Brown, said Pasquotank District Attorney Andrew Womble, who has described Brown as a known drug dealer.

Womble outlined the sheriff’s office version of the case at a May 18 news conference in which he said the killing of Brown was justified and none of the Pasquotank deputies involved would face criminal charges.

“Mr. Brown’s death, while tragic, was justified because Mr. Brown’s action caused three deputies with the Pasquotank Sheriff’s Office to reasonably believe it was necessary to use deadly force to protect themselves and others,” Womble said.

At that news conference, Womble shared video clips and and photos from the shooting, but a Pasquotank judge has denied allowing complete unedited body-camera footage to be released to the media or the family at this time.

In North Carolina, body-worn or dashboard camera footage can only be released if a judge orders it.

Brown’s family members saw 20 minutes of redacted video footage May 11.

DA Womble’s version

A team of law enforcement from Pasquotank and Dare counties were assembled to serve the warrants and arrest Brown, Womble said in May.

Dare County deputies were to provide surveillance, while six members of the Pasquotank County Sheriff’s Office special operations and tactics team would serve the warrants, Womble said.

Brown was identified around 8 a.m. on April 21 and watched as he drove his car to his home on Perry Street and parked. When Pasquotank deputies arrived, they pulled the vehicle in front of Brown to prevent him from going forward.

Brown, who was talking on the phone, threw down the device, reversed his car and turned his steering wheel toward law enforcement officers who surrounded his vehicle, Womble said.

Brown’s car moved forward toward a deputy, who used his left hand to push off the hood and get out of the way of the car, Womble said.

“It was at this moment that the first shot was fired,” Womble said.

Several more shots followed as Brown’s car accelerated across a vacant lot and a street. It hit a tree near a home, where it stopped.

Autopsy results released in June showed Brown died of a gunshot wound to the back of his head, The N&O reported.

Lawsuit version

Brown’s attorney and others have described the killing, which sparked weeks of protests, differently.

“Andrew was murdered, make no mistake about it,” Daniels said.

The lawsuit states Brown was “gunned down” by deputies as he was unarmed and posed no threat.

The lawsuit also states that the arrest warrants were invalid for drug charges that aren’t considered violent felonies in the state.

After deputies approached and pointed rifles and shouted at Brown, he was ‘startled and afraid,” the lawsuit states.

In an attempt to escape he backed away.

“At no time were any members of the PCSO, DCSO or any others in any imminent threat of harm or injury from Brown or his vehicle,” the lawsuit states.

This is a breaking news story that will be updated throughout the day.