Lawyers for shooting victim Robert Dotson's family announce plans to file lawsuit
FARMINGTON — Flanked by members of the late Robert Dotson’s family, California attorney Shon Northam fired a series of broadsides at the Farmington Police Department officers who shot the 52-year-old Farmington resident to death in the doorway of his home earlier this month, as well as Chief Steve Hebbe, during an April 20 press conference.
Speaking before a handful of media members at the Courtyard by Marriott hotel in Farmington, Northam called for the officers involved in the shooting to face second-degree murder charges and often used incendiary language to describe Hebbe, who he labeled a coward, a liar and a manipulator.
Northam, who is part of the legal team representing the Dotsons, announced that the family would be filing a civil lawsuit in federal court and is seeking Hebbe’s firing or resignation. The family also is asking authorities to pursue criminal charges against the officers who killed Dotson late on April 5 after they mistakenly went to the wrong address while responding to a domestic violence call.
“This was a straight-up assassination of Robert Lee Dotson,” Northam said.
Dotson’s widow, Kim Dotson, also spoke during the event, tearfully recounting her relationship with her late husband and described the events of April 5 as a “horrible nightmare.” She said the officers had taken everything from her family and said her husband was ambushed by a firing squad.
“I am so angry,” she said, referring to the fact that the three officers involved in the shooting have not been named by the police department and that they have been placed on administrative leave.
“They get to remain anonymous and with their families,” she said. “Well, what about our family?”
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In response to the claims made at the press conference, Shanice Gonzales, the spokesperson for the Farmington Police Department, issued a statement.
“The Farmington Police Department wants to emphasize that the events of April 5 are part of an ongoing investigation,” it reads. “Our department is committed to cooperating with the New Mexico State Police for a thorough and fair investigation into the circumstances surrounding Mr. Dotson’s death. It is important to let the legal process take its course and not draw conclusions before all the facts are known. We will continue to cooperate with the appropriate agencies and provide updates to the public as the investigation progresses. We will continue to work with transparency and integrity.”
Northam said the family is waiting for New Mexico State Police to conclude its investigation into the shooting before it files a lawsuit in federal court. He said the family had not decided how much in damages it would seek.
But the former prosecutor — who is based in Redding, California, and is representing the Dotsons with Mark Reichel, an attorney based in Sacramento, California — called on Farmington Mayor Nate Duckett and members of the City Council to take matters into their own hands by firing the chief “because Steve Hebbe doesn’t have the guts to fire himself.”
Northam noted the considerable media attention the case has drawn and said the way Farmington officials handle the case will reflect on all of them.
“The entire world is watching,” he said. “Do you have the integrity to do what’s right? The entire world is watching you folks. It’s your move.”
Northam made his case for why the officers involved in the shooting should be charged with second-degree murder by presenting a series of video clips that he said demonstrated the validity of his argument. Body can footage from the incident was released to the public last week.
The audio portion of the video clips, Northam said, proved that the officers knew they were at the wrong address when they approached the Dotson house. He focused on an exchange between two officers, in which one notes the address they are looking for is the third house on the left. But upon exiting the vehicle, the three officers approach the first house on the right.
Northam them played another clip from after the shooting in which he claims one officer said, ”You should have told me I’m wrong,” although the audio was indistinct.
Kim Dotson also seized on that exchange during her remarks.
“I don’t understand how the third house on the left translates into the first house on the right,” she said.
As for the shooting itself, Northam said Dotson was blinded by the flashlights of the officers when he opened the door and therefore could not have known the figures in his front yard were the police. He did not address a claim made by Hebbe last week that the body camera footage of at least one officer shows Dotson raising a handgun toward the officers. But he pointed out that Dotson was well within his Second Amendment rights to be armed and that he was following his instincts to protect his family and his home.
Northam, who said he often visits the Farmington area, said after the press conference he was brought into the case at the request of a friend who is a Dotson family member.
“It’s not just a case, it’s personal,” he said.
He said he has been involved in approximately 10 homicide cases over the course of his career as a prosecutor and a private attorney, but he acknowledged the circumstances of this case are unique.
“No, I haven’t handled anything like this because it just doesn’t happen,” he said, referring to police shooting a victim after mistakenly going to the wrong address.
He said he has concerns about the 11th Judicial District Attorney’s Office in Farmington determining whether the officers involved will face criminal charges, given the fact that the agency works closely with the Farmington Police Department on a daily basis. But he noted he had met two of the office’s assistant district attorneys, Brian Decker and Dustin O’Brien, and described them as “super-nice guys.”
He expressed a deeper level of concern about the State Police investigator he met who is handling the case, whom he did not name, explaining that he was “dismayed” by his conversation with him, questioning whether he is qualified to handle such a complicated case.
“This is not your average officer-involved shooting case,” Northam said.
The Dotson family will hold a funeral for Robert Dotson on Monday, April 24, although Northam declined to reveal the location of the service. He asked media members to respect the family’s privacy and stay away from the service.
The Dotson family has established a website, justiceforrobbie.com, that includes details about the case and features an opportunity for members of the public to make financial contributions to the family.
Mike Easterling can be reached at 505-564-4610 ormeasterling@daily-times.com.
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This article originally appeared on Farmington Daily Times: Robert Dotson's family announces plans to file lawsuit
