After three days of testimony and nearly a dozen witnesses, an eight-member jury in U.S. District Court must now decide whether former Fresno police officer Trevor Shipman used excessive force when he shot and killed 45-year-old Casimero “Shane” Casillas.
Casillas’ family filed a civil rights lawsuit against the City of Fresno alleging his death was the result of negligence when he was fatally wounded by Shipman on Sept. 7, 2015, after trying to elude police.
Closing arguments were presented Friday from attorneys representing the city and Casillas’ estate. The family is being represented by William Schmidt of Fresno and Dale Galipo of Southern California.