Zac Champommier's Federal Lawsuit Set to Begin Tuesday

The federal civil trial on behalf of Zac Champommier, who was shot by a Los Angeles County sheriff's deputy and a DEA agent in a Studio City parking lot on July 25, 2010, is scheduled to start on Tuesday.

Zac's mother Carol Champommier filed the lawsuit on her son's behalf as Champommier et.al. vs United States of America . 

She said, "I hope to see more of Zac supporters than law enforcement."

The judge allotted five days for the lawsuit that claimed the shooting was "reckless, malicious, deliberately indifferent to Decedent's rights, done with actual malice, grossly negligent and objectively unreasonable." The case claims that damages will exceed $10 million.

In typical mom fashion, Carol Champommier, an elementary school teacher, instructed Zac's friends how to dress properly on her Facebook page. 

"Attire is business casual, no flip-flops. Federal court is more formal than state court. You can come and go in the courtroom, at any time," she wrote on the site. A lot of Zac's friends will be on Spring Break this week.

Family friend Cathy DeRose said, "If ever there was a time to rally for Zac this is it. If there is any way that you can be there to show your support for Carol and Justice for Zac please make every effort to come on Tuesday. Carol needs us now more than ever."

Another friend, Karen Reardon Taylor, pointed out: "If you cannot be there you can flood the court with letters via email. How do you feel? I know if i cant be sure that my son can go to park his car, in a public parking lot, without the risk of being shot by law enforcement that are debriefing from a drug bust in unmarked cars, in plain clothes—something needs to change."

She added, "The best way to contact Judge Michael Fitzgerald’s Courtroom Deputy Clerk is by e-mail at Rita_Sanchez@cacd.uscourts.gov.

Opening statements should start on the first day of trial. And then testimony will follow.

The trial is scheduled for Judge Michael Fitzgerald’s Courtroom, 16th floor, Room 1600 at 312 North Spring St. in downtown Los Angeles.

For more information about the case, see:

Candlelight Vigil Along Ventura Boulevard Remembers Zac 2 Years Later

and this series:

Remembering Zac—A Mother’s Living Memorial to her Slain Son, Part 1 

Remembering Zac—The Last Day She Saw Her Son Alive, Part 2

Remembering Zac—Keeping His Memory Alive; Forgiveness? No, Not Yet, Part 3