Widower Demands Information|About Police Shooting Before Inquest

LAS VEGAS (CN) - An ice cream truck driver whose wife was shot to death by a Henderson police officer demands information about the shooting before the coroner conducts an inquest on Thursday. Police Tasered and then shot and killed the wife, Deshira Selimaj, whom they called to translate for her husband after a routine traffic stop, the husband claims in Clark County Court.

Zyber Selimaj says that after police stopped him as he drove his ice cream truck on Feb. 12, officers summoned his wife to help with a "language barrier." Soon after she arrived in their other ice cream truck with two of their three young children, Selimaj says, an officer shot her with a Taser and then with his gun.

"Incident witnesses have reported that Deshira was on her knees or sitting when she was shot," the lawsuit states. "After she was shot, the police placed handcuffs on Deshira, propped her up so that (she) was in a sitting position, and informed bystanders that she would be OK."

Selimaj says authorities have refused to provide an autopsy report or taped recordings of interviews with his two children, who saw the shooting. The interviews were conducted without attorneys present, and after Zyber Selimaj exercised his Miranda rights to remain silent, the complaint states.

Selimaj also seeks a court order requiring officials to turn over all information at least a day before the coroner's inquest.

The coroner's inquest process, long under fire here as lopsidedly favoring police, was updated in 2007 to allow "for the victim's family to have a more meaningful opportunity to take part in the coroner's inquest."

Plaintiffs, represented by Jimmerson Hansen, want the inquest, slated for Thursday, enjoined unless they receive the requested items at least 24 hours before the hearing.

Officials want the case removed to Federal Court.

Subscribe to Closing Arguments

Sign up for new weekly newsletter Closing Arguments to get the latest about ongoing trials, major litigation and hot cases and rulings in courthouses around the U.S. and the world.

Email *

Submit