Litigation attorney Ellis Boyle was recently interviewed by an Asheville news outlet, shedding light on a new 195-page civil complaint filed against the Cherokee County Sheriff's Office and several officials.
Ellis filed the complaint on behalf of a Cherokee County man who reportedly was shot multiple times by Cherokee Indian Police SWAT Team members in his home back in December 2022. In an interview with ABC-affiliate station, News 13, via Zoom, Ellis discussed the lawsuit and its objectives with reporter Samiar Nefzi. From the article:
“We should expect a lot from our law enforcement,” Boyle told News 13. “I certainly do. And this does not rise to the level of what I expect out of our public servants.”
On Dec. 13, 2022, 41-year-old Jason Harley Kloepfer, was reportedly shot several times by members of the Cherokee Indian Police SWAT Team.
Initial reports by the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office in a press release said on Monday, Dec. 12, 2022, a 911 call had alerted authorities to a disturbance with several gunshots at a residence on Upper Bear Paw Road.
Deputies called in the SWAT team to help because they stated in the initial release, "there was an armed suspect present and the potential for a hostage situation."
“They had barely any reason to ever approach and enter my client's property at all,” said Boyle. "They should have just left and left these poor citizens alone who were sleeping inside their home.”
The 195-page civil lawsuit filed on Tuesday has 25 allegations of civil rights violations, excessive use of force, trespassing, gross negligence by authorities, and falsifying reports.
“It's absolutely taken their pleasant life in the beautiful mountains of North Carolina and flipped it upside down,” explained Boyle. “It's been very problematic. And this has caused them an extreme amount of stress and harm and emotional and mental problems.”
You can read the entire article and watch the full interview here.
