Michael Brown's Family Files Wrongful Death Lawsuit Against City Of Ferguson

Michael Brown's Family Files Wrongful Death Lawsuit Against City Of Ferguson
FILE - In this Aug. 11, 2014 file photo, Lesley McSpadden, the mother of 18-year-old Michael Brown, wipes away tears as Brown's father, Michael Brown Sr., holds up a family picture of himself, his son, top left, and a young child during a news conference in Jennings, Mo. Lingering questions about Michael Brown could be answered Wednesday as two news organizations seek the release of any possible juvenile records for the unarmed 18-year-old who was shot by a police officer last month.(AP Photo/Jeff Roberson, File)
FILE - In this Aug. 11, 2014 file photo, Lesley McSpadden, the mother of 18-year-old Michael Brown, wipes away tears as Brown's father, Michael Brown Sr., holds up a family picture of himself, his son, top left, and a young child during a news conference in Jennings, Mo. Lingering questions about Michael Brown could be answered Wednesday as two news organizations seek the release of any possible juvenile records for the unarmed 18-year-old who was shot by a police officer last month.(AP Photo/Jeff Roberson, File)

April 22 (Reuters) - The family of Michael Brown, a black 18-year-old killed in Ferguson last summer by a white police officer, filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the city on Thursday, seeking unspecified punitive damages, $75,000 in compensation and changes in policing.

The civil lawsuit filed in St. Louis County, Missouri, names the city of Ferguson, former Police Chief Thomas Jackson and former police officer Darren Wilson as defendants.

The suit calls for a court order prohibiting the use of police techniques "that demean, disregard, or underserve its African-American population."

The shooting last August sparked a wave of angry demonstrations and unrest over police violence, particularly against minorities in Ferguson and around the country.

The filing has been expected since the family said last month it would file the civil case.

(Reporting by Suzannah Gonzales in Chicago and Curtis Skinner in San Francisco; Editing by Fiona Ortiz, Clarence Fernandez and Frances Kerry)

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