Federal Suit Filed Over Man Shot To Death In Deputy’s Car

NEW IBERIA, La. (AP) — A Jeanerette woman has filed a wrongful-death suit in federal court against Iberia Parish Sheriff Louis Ackal and the deputy who arrested her child's father.

The lawsuit says Victor White III died from a single gunshot wound while handcuffed in the back seat of the deputy's car.

The Advocate reports Shandell Bradley's attorneys allege Ackal fails to adequately train his deputies and tolerates excessive uses of force and unreasonable searches, which resulted in White's death on March 3, 2014.

The suit also claims Cpl. Justin Ortis was negligent in failing to protect White's safety while he was in custody.

Maj. Ryan Turner said the agency had not been made aware of the suit as of Tuesday afternoon.

The sheriff's office and coroner's claims that the 22-year-old man shot himself.