Miss. high court tosses out wrongful death award

Local News

November 21, 2009

Anonymous The Laurel Leader-Call Sat Nov 21, 2009, 12:15 PM CST

JACKSON (AP) — A $75,000 award to a family who claimed Lisa Williams’ death resulted from Laurel police officers’ failure to arrest Kenneth Wilson after two distrubance calls has been thrown out by the Mississippi Supreme Court.

Williams was stabbed to death at her home in 2003. Wilson was convicted of murder in 2006 and was given a life sentence.

Williams’ family sued the city of Laurel, claiming her death resulted from Wilson being allowed to remain free despite two disturbance calls to police the night of her slaying.

The Supreme Court on Thursday in a 7-2 decision ruled the family failed to prove that the officers’ actions were reckless or that they had disregarded the safety of Williams. The court said the city could not be held liable for the same reasons.

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