Family sues Georgia sheriff over drug raid that killed woman

Latonya James, left, her mother Betty James, center, and their attorney Bakari Sellers, second from right, stand during a news conference Monday, Aug. 22, 2022, in Woodbine, Ga. to announce a federal lawsuit against the Camden County sheriff and others. Betty James' daughter, Latoya James, was killed by gunfire after Camden County deputies executed a drug warrant at her cousin's home on May 4, 2021. The lawsuit says deputies violated the slain woman's civil rights by failing to give the home's occupants time to answer the door. (AP Photo/Russ Bynum)

The family of a woman killed by gunfire last year as Georgia sheriff’s deputies executed a drug warrant at her cousin’s home announced a federal lawsuit Monday against the sheriff and others, claiming the deadly raid violated the slain woman’s civil rights.

Attorneys for the family of 37-year-old Latoya James have argued her death echoes the fatal shooting in 2020 of Breonna Taylor in Kentucky. Both cases involved Black women killed in shootouts after law officers forced their way into darkened homes with little to no warning.

The civil lawsuit filed Sunday in the Georgia case comes after the district attorney for coastal Camden County decided in April not to bring criminal charges against deputies in James’ death after concluding they were justified in using deadly force.