Crime & Safety

UPDATE: Murdocks File Lawsuit

The Cobb Department of Public Safety's Internal Affairs division determined the officer acted justly and in self-defense when he shot and killed Matt Murdock during a traffic stop in Mableton in May 2011.

UPDATE: Alex Kaufman, attorney representing the Murdocks, has notified South Cobb Patch that the family has filed their lawsuit on Friday in the Northern District of Georgia. South Cobb Patch will continue to update this story as details are made available.

Original Story:

The parents of the man who was shot by a Cobb police officer in May 2011 during a traffic stop in Mableton plan to file a lawsuit against the county police department this week.

On May 19, 2011, Matt According to Cobb police, a Cobb Sheriff’s deputy, who stopped to assist, had a physical confrontation with Murdock. Cobb Officer Sean Henry arrived, saw the struggle and fired shots, police said, after he saw Murdock reach for what he believed to be a weapon.

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“He had his civil rights violated…and an improper shooting death resulted,” said Robert Kaufman, who, along with his son Alex, is representing the Murdock family.

South Cobb Patch discovered after a public records request that

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Henry has since been exonerated and found to have acted justly by a grand jury in August and by the Cobb Department of Public Safety’s Internal Affairs Department after a 10-month investigation. Henry is back at work as an officer in Cobb.

It was also determined, as a result of the investigation, that Murdock had methamphetamines in his system during the time of the traffic stop.

“Whether or not he had any drugs in his system was immaterial… He was stopped and we believe he was shot and his due process rights were violated,” Robert Kaufman said.

The Murdocks are filing a suit because they felt that their son’s death was unjust, Robert explained.

“They’re seeking to obtain justice for their son, who was killed at the wrongful hands of the authorities,” Robert Kaufman said.

Were Matt Murdock's rights violated? Should the police be able to investigate themselves in incidents like this one? Tell us below in the comments.


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