Family of Romir Talley sues police over his shooting death in Wilkinsburg

Paula Reed Ward | Thursday, October 22, 2020 11:01 a.m.

Tribune-Review

Romir Talley, pictured here with his mother, was shot and killed by a Wilkinsburg police officer in December 2019. Police have said Talley, 24, fired first, but family members and their attorney dispute that version of events.

The mother of a man shot and killed by a Wilkinsburg police officer last year filed a federal lawsuit on Thursday against the police department, its leadership and the officers involved.

The complaint, filed by LaTasha Talley as administratrix for her son’s estate, includes claims for excessive force, unreasonable seizure and failure for the department to properly train its officers.

For months, Talley’s family has been demanding answers from the Wilkinsburg Police Department, Allegheny County police, who were tasked with investigating the shooting, and the Allegheny County District Attorney’s office, who has charging power.

In a news release announcing the lawsuit Thursday, attorneys Paul Jubas and Max Petrunya said the “complete lack of respect, accountability or transparency” from the police department and DA’s office have compounded the tragedy.

“These two governmental agencies headline a failed criminal justice system in an area policed by over 100 distinct, inefficient and largely unaccountable police departments,” they said. “The Wilkinsburg Police Department is a prime example that the status quo in Allegheny County is no longer acceptable.”

Named as defendants are the borough of Wilkinsburg, Officer Robert Gowans, police Chief Ophelia Coleman and Mayor Marita Garrett. There is also an unnamed female officer listed as a defendant, who the complaint said was acting as Gowans’ partner the night of the shooting.

Messages left for Coleman and Garrett were not immediately returned.

A spokesman for the DA’s office said the case is still under review.

Romir Talley, 24, was shot and killed just after 1 a.m. on Dec. 22 at the intersection of Center Street and Stoner Way.

According to the complaint, Talley was walking on Penn Avenue in Wilkinsburg toward his home that night when police received a 911 call in which the caller reported that a “black male with dreadlocks,” who was wearing a black jacket and gray sweatpants, had pulled a silver gun on him.

The caller remained on the line, and three uniformed Wilkinsburg officers arrived in two marked cars, the lawsuit said.

Officers spoke to two separate people on the street, it continued, and then saw Talley walking on Penn Avenue.

“Even though decedent did not match the description given by the 911 caller, the defendant officers conducted a hostile maneuver with their vehicle by pulling their marked car in front of decedent, exiting their vehicle, and commanding that decedent ‘take his hands out of his pockets,’ ” the complaint said.

Talley, who the lawsuit said was surprised and feared for his life, ran away, with Gowans and his partner chasing him on foot.

While that was happening, the lawsuit said, the 911 caller told dispatch that the person who pulled the gun was still on Penn Avenue.

“The 911 caller then hung up after indicating that the police had pursued the wrong individual,” the lawsuit said.

Gowans shot Talley seven times, including once in the head, the complaint said, at the intersection of Center Street and Stoner Way.

Talley was pronounced dead at 1:16 a.m.

“The act of shooting decedent Talley seven times is indicative of reckless, careless, wanton and intentional conduct, which shows depravity and deliberate indifference to the rights of decedent Talley and others.”

The lawsuit alleges that Gowans lied to Allegheny County detectives investigating the shooting.

It claims that Gowans said he received confirmation from the 911 operator they had located the suspect when they pulled up on Talley. The lawsuit also accuses Gowans of lying when he claimed that Talley fired at him first.

The civil rights lawsuit includes claims against Gowans and his partner for excessive force and unreasonable seizure. It also includes a claim against his partner for failing to intervene to stop Gowans and deliberate indifference against the police department for having a lack of training and supervision.

Because the Wilkinsburg Police Department does not have dashboard or body cameras for its officers, the complaint said, it has created “an environment where officers such as Officer Gowans, as a pattern and practice, can act with impunity and engage in unconstitutional and deliberately indifferent acts knowing that the true facts of the officer’s actions will not be discovered by law enforcement.”