By Zachary Margulis-Ohnuma
On April 12, 2009, New York City police officers shot and killed Mauricio Jaquez, an emotionally disturbed man, in his apartment in the Bronx. On Monday, seven years later, one of the officers, Sgt. William Flores, will stand trial before a Southern District of New York jury for depriving Mr. Jaquez of his civil rights in connection with one of the shots fired. The bullet entered the back of Mr. Jaquez’s head. The case will be tried by Zachary Margulis-Ohnuma and Sharlene Morris of the ZMO Law PLLC on behalf of Mr. Jaquez’s estate. Mr. Margulis-Ohnuma and Ms. Morris also represent Mr. Jaquez’s widow, Ana Martinez, and their three children, who were present just before he was killed and plan to appeal a ruling dismissing their wrongful death claim. The officers are expected to claim that Mr. Jaquez was threatening them with a fillet knife that was found at the scene. Although six shots were fired, the court has granted qualified immunity with respect to the first five shots and so the evidence will focus on whether the final shot was a reasonable use of deadly force.
Jury selection begins Monday morning, April 4, 2016, before the Hon. Katherine B. Forrest in courtroom 26A at 500 Pearl Street, New York, NY 10007. Opening statements are expected late morning or right after lunch. The victim’s daughter, who was 11 at the time of the incident, will testify in the afternoon.