A day after winning a $900,000 in court for the shooting death of her son by an East Haven cop, Emma Jones thanked jurors and said she hopes her fight might save another life.
Jones spoke to the media Friday afternoon at the Orange Street office of her attorney, David Rosen, who helped her win a major victory in court. Thirteen years after an East Haven cop chased Malik Jones into New Haven and then shot him dead at close range, a federal jury awarded $900,000 to his kin on Thursday.
The award was split as follows: $525,000 for Malik’s death, and $375,000 for the loss of the ability to enjoy a relationship with his daughter, Priya, who’s now 16.
The decision was the latest victory for Emma Jones, a lifelong civil rights activist. Wearing a white blouse, the color she has worn ever since her son’s death, Jones (pictured) sat down at a table and tearfully read a printed statement to news reporters.
Jones brought photos of Malik and his daughter (pictured), and choked up as she talked about how the case has effected her family. Click on the play arrow at the top of the story to watch.
She noted that two juries comprising 18 people have now ruled in favor of her son, against the town of East Haven.
“I am so grateful that all of these individuals who are just doing their job, just doing their duty as American citizens, agreed that the town should be so fully responsible for what happened to my son, Malik,” Jones said.
The first jury in 2003 awarded her $2.5 million in punitive damages; that award was later reversed because a town cannot be made to pay punitive damages. The second jury awarded his estate compensatory, not punitive damages.
Melissa Bailey Photo
Jones (pictured) said the case “has never been about money for us. Instead, it was just about justice for Malik and righteousness and the attempt to correct a wrong that I hope no other mother would have to ever endure.”
“I hope that what we have done may perhaps spare another mother or another child,” she said.
She said she hopes “the case will end soon,” but if it doesn’t, she will continue the fight.
In a meeting with news reporters, Attorney Hugh Keefe (pictured) indicated the battle isn’t over yet.
Keefe, who’s representing the town of East Haven, said he plans to file an appeal in the next two weeks. He argued that a jury would come to a different conclusion if it had been able to consider evidence about Malik Jones’s criminal record.
Keefe wants to argue that given that information, Jones’ life expectancy would have been only 10 years.
Read more about both sides’ arguments here.
Historical footnote: When Hugh Keefe and David Rosen began their New Haven law careers four decades ago, they each represented Black Panthers on charges connected to the Alex Rackley murder. Their offices today are right around the corner from each other.