My dad, Parnell Sims was shot in the back by the police while he was running. At the trial the police said my dad had an automatic handgun, and shot at them 5 times, from 10 feet away, while they were sitting in the car but didn’t hit them or the car. One of the cops said dad started running but turned to face him and was shooting at him when the cop shot dad. The problem was, dad was shot in the back. Because they lied, dad went to prison for 2 years. When he was released, all the lawyers refused to take his case until dad found Mr. Morris. Mr. Morris looked at all of the police reports and told me, he was a retired Detroit Homicide sergeant. Mr. Morris told my dad that there was absolutely no evidence to show that he had been shooting at the police because automatic handguns, like the one they said my dad had, always eject shells and not one single shell was ever found.

Mr. Morris went to the neighborhood, took pictures, knocked on doors and found a woman who said she told the police, that night, that dad was running when the police shot him in the back. They took her name but nobody ever came back to talk to here. Her name and address was in the police reports but nobody ever gave it to my dad’s criminal lawyer.

Mr. Morris filed suit against the police but the judge threw the case out because she said dad couldn’t sue the cops after he got convicted in criminal court. Mr. Morris appealed and got the judge reversed and ordered to try the case. He got dad a verdict for one million six hundred thousand dollars ($1,600,000.00).

Other lawyers said this case was impossible to win. Mr. Morris said I have to review the police reports and go to the scene before I answer. My dad has died, but my family remains grateful for justice.