MADISON, Wis. (AP) _ A federal jury has awarded the family of a woman killed by two Madison police officers $7 million in damages after finding the officers used unreasonable force.
The civil lawsuit against the officers was brought by relatives of 26-year-old Ashley DiPiazza. The Dane County district attorney had previously cleared the officers, Justin Bailey and Gary Pihlaja, of any criminal liability in DiPiazza's 2014 death. The State Journal reports DiPiazza's family said she was shot by the officers without threatening anyone but herself.
The officers responded to DiPiazza's apartment where she was holed up with a gun. The officers testified they shot DiPiazza when she emerged from a bedroom with a gun to her head and ignored their commands to drop the weapon.
Jurors found a third officer who had negotiated with DiPiazza bore no responsibility.