(Memphis) Shirley Thompson, mother of Justin Thompson, is suing the City of Memphis as well as former MPD officer Terrance Shaw.
Shaw admits he shot and killed Justin Thompson September 24, 2012, but contends it was self-defense, “My story has been the same from the beginning. I was a victim of a robbery. It’s not only cost me my job, it`s also cost me in the public’s eye.”
Neither the TBI nor the Shelby County District Attorney could find evidence to refute Shaw’s story and he was not prosecuted.
Shirley Thompson has always questioned what happened that night.
In her lawsuit, Thompson is asking for $11 million in damages.
Thompson claims the city should have fired Shaw for previous incidents where he used his weapon.
In 2008 and 2011, Shaw shot dogs in two separate incidents.
In 2009, Shaw shot and killed a man, Courtney McGowan, who was driving a car that hit Shaw and another officer, as they approached the vehicle.
Each of those shootings was deemed justified by investigators.
Shirley Thompson believes the former officer wanted a sexual relationship with her underage son, “I think he was trying to and my son just wasn’t going for it and I do believe that’s why he killed my son.”
In an exclusive interview with Stephanie Scurlock, Shaw said that was not true, “Absolutely not. They were always at the location, at that store. Anytime that I saw him. There was absolutely nothing else like that. And, that’s kind of like one of the other things that kind of bothers me and I wish that the people would know that as well.”
Shaw says he befriended Thompson and was trying to help make sure he didn’t go down a bad path.
Read the Shaw lawsuit