Family of exonerated Black man killed by a Georgia deputy is suing him in federal court

By RUSS BYNUM
Associated Press

SAVANNAH, Ga. (AP) — The family of a slain Black man has filed a federal lawsuit against the Georgia deputy who shot him during a traffic stop that spiraled into violence. Camden County sheriff’s Staff Sgt. Buck Aldridge killed Leonard Cure on Oct. 16 during a struggle that began after Cure was stopped for speeding along Interstate 95. Cure had previously spent 16 years in a Florida prison for a crime he didn’t commit. The lawsuit filed Tuesday in U.S. District Court says Aldridge violated Cure’s constitutional rights by using excessive force before Cure started fighting back. Prosecutors are still weighing possible criminal charges. An attorney for Aldridge declined to comment.