Geer Family Suing Fairfax County for Son's Killing

Just one year after the unexplained shooting death of John Geer of Springfield by a still unidentified Fairfax County police officer, the Geer family has filed suit against Fairfax County Police for $12 million.

Mr. Geer, 34, was shot as he stood in the doorway of his home talking with police officers on August 30, 2013. He was unarmed. Since the shooting, apparently by a SWAT sniper, Fairfax County Police and officials have refused to explain why he was shot or who fired the fatal bullet. After the shooting, the Police and Commonwealth Attorney Raymond Morrogh announced they were unable to investigate the killing due to a “conflict of interest” in Morrogh’s office. Morrogh instead referred the case to the Justice Department for investigation. There has been only silence from Justice and Morrogh in the eight months since. The family still has received no explanation for the apparently senseless killing of their loved one.

This is hardly the first time Fairfax County Police have shot an unarmed person to death. Nor is it the first time that the police and their nominal overseers, the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors, have hidden what happened from the public. In the 72 years since the Board created the Police Department there have been many police killings of unarmed citizens, more than a few under apparently suspicious circumstances. Yet, not one single shooter has been charged with, much less found culpable of, any wrongdoing for a killing. Furthermore, as in the case of John Geer, all deaths have been “investigated” in secret by the shooter’s fellow officers with no accounting to the people who pay their salaries and whom they are sworn to protect. One would perhaps expect such impunity under a military dictatorship, but not in a modern democracy.

Several families have sued the County for wrongful death of a loved one. To date, all cases have been quietly settled the County before the court date for six or seven figure sums paid by the County with tax dollars. One hopes Justice Dept. involvement will make a difference. Otherwise, I fear the cowardly Supervisors again will authorize a healthy payoff to avoid any Police accountability for unjustified use of lethal force. I’m certain the Geer family would prefer to have their loved one back. Let us see….

o