GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — The former Michigan State Police sergeant who faces a murder charge is asking a federal judge to pause a lawsuit filed against him.
Brian Keely's attorneys on Monday filed a motion to hold off on advancing a civil case brought by the family of Samuel Sterling. Sterling died after being hit by the vehicle driven by Keely on April 17, 2024. The 25-year-old was the target of a federal task force working to bring in people wanted for violating their probation.
Originally charged at the state level, Keely's legal team successfully petitioned to have the criminal case moved to federal court. It is that same court that Sterling's family filed a lawsuit against Keely, demanding the now-retired sergeant pay them for their pain and suffering, along with expenses the family incurred for Samuel's medical treatment before his death.
The U.S. Attorney's Office stepped into this lawsuit, arguing the tort claims against Keely should be transferred to the federal government. In March the federal judge agreed, substituting the United States of America for Keely. The rest of the lawsuit remains filed against Keely.
On March 31, Keely's attorneys filed a motion to stay the civil lawsuit until a decision is made on whether the U.S. Constitution provides immunity for people acting as sworn officers of the federal government. A hearing on that matter is set for April 21.
The judge had set April 1 as a deadline for Keely to formally respond to the claims made in the lawsuit. At the time of this publication, the judge had not yet ruled on Keely's request to pause the case.
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