Lawyer: Pittsburgh cops terrorized then paralyzed black man

PITTSBURGH (AP) — An attorney for a black man shot by one of three white Pittsburgh police officers involved in a 2012 traffic stop has told a federal jury his client was wrongly “intimidated,” “threatened,” “terrorized” and “ultimately paralyzed” in closing arguments of a civil-rights lawsuit against two of the officers.

Only Officers David Derbish and Anthony Miller face potential liability for the injuries suffered by Leon Ford.

Ford’s attorney told the jury Tuesday the officers were “pals” who covered up wrongly detaining Ford because they thought he was a gang member with a similar name, age and appearance.

The officers’ attorney defends their actions. He says the traffic stop was 15 minutes and Derbish shot Ford during a frantic seven-second interval when Ford’s car drove forward as the officer struggled to pull him from it.