PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — A former Philadelphia police officer remains in jail while awaiting his criminal trial for the shooting death of a 12-year-old boy nearly two years ago in South Philadelphia. Now the family of the boy has filed a civil lawsuit against the city and the man charged with his murder.
Its alleged T.J. (Thomas) Siderio Jr. shot out a window of an unmarked police car at 18th and Barbara Streets on March 1 2022. Prosecutors say the 12-year-old fled and ditched the gun. According to prosecutors Edsaul Mendoza, a South Task Force police officer in plainclothes, chased after him and shot the unarmed Siderio dead.
“A Philadelphia police officer cannot be the judge, jury and the executioner,” said attorney Mike Budner, co-counsel for the estate of Siderio.
“It’s clear from D.A. Larry Krasner’s statements and the criminal prosecution that’s being levied against former officer Mendoza, that is exactly what happened here. So we are looking at that as well as the systematic failures of the Philadelphia Police Department in training and supervising their officers, as they are required to do by law.”