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Family wants civil case against Stockley reopened

Attorney Al Watkins is angry evidence was withheld the first time. And now he's going back to get what he says he should have gotten the first time.
Credit: KSDK
Anthony Lamar Smith and his daughter.

ST. LOUIS – The attorney representing the family of a man fatally shot by a St. Louis police officer has gone to court to reopen his client's case.

The move comes a few weeks after a report found the state's attorneys withheld key DNA evidence in the case involving Anthony Lamar Smith and former city police officer Jason Stockley.

Attorney Al Watkins is angry evidence was withheld the first time. And now he's going back to get what he says he should have gotten the first time.

Watkins' statements are in response to the Dec. 5 announcement from Attorney General Josh Hawley. Hawley said that his independent investigation found that in 2012 and 2013, the state's attorney at the time, Chris Koster, did not hand over lab and firearms reports.

Anthony Lamar Smith was killed in 2011 by former St. Louis police officer Jason Stockley.

Watkins said if he had that evidence during the wrongful death suit, Smith's family would have gotten a lot more than the roughly $900,000 they eventually settled for.

Watkins is also demanding a copy of the attorney general's full unedited report.

"There is no greater compromise of our nation than the corruption of the inherent and fundamental fairness of our federal court system,” Watkins said, “and to allow lady justice to be violated with impunity is something which comprises the integrity of the interests of each of every citizen in this land."

Watkins said when he reached out to the attorney general and city counselors office, he was told the full report is protected by attorney-client privilege.

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