WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) — Wednesday, testimony started in the federal, civil trial surrounding 17-year-old Cedric Lofton‘s in-custody death.
Lofton died in 2021 after being held face-down for 39 minutes in Sedgwick County’s Juvenile Intake and Assessment Center (JIAC). He was taken there in the midst of a mental health crisis.
Even though the case was ruled a homicide by the Sedgwick County Medical Examiner’s Office in 2021, this is not a criminal trial. Lofton’s brother (the plaintiff) filed the civil case against the JIAC officers who held him down.
This was day one of what could stretch into a three-week trial.
Opening statements
A civil case like this has a lower burden of proof. The jury is asked if they think the plaintiff’s version of events is most likely. The lawyer representing Lofton’s family broke down their view. The five JIAC officers used excessive force and that force is what killed Lofton…