Mother of 17-year-old who died because he may have been confidential informant for LMPD speaks out
A wrongful death lawsuit claims a 17-year-old boy who was fatally shot in a fast-food restaurant parking lot last year died because he was working as a confidential informant for Louisville Metro police.
Now the boy's mother is speaking out after a video on the day of her son's death has surfaced.
"The day that my son was murdered, my son did the unusual, which was clean up his room," said Shawanda Carter. "Just something he never did and my son didn't even get to make it back home.
Carter said that her son's behavior was suspicious in the weeks before his death.
"He always told me he was OK," Carter said. "He was like 'Momma, don't trip. I'm alright.' I'm like 'Are you sure?' Because something was not right.
Carter now believes she knows what was happening.
The lawsuit, filed on Monday by the mother of Devor Stoner, also alleges cell phone video shows LMPD officers removing "electronic surveillance equipment" from Stoner's body when they first responded to the scene.
Previous story: Coroner IDs teen killed at Zaxby's
The mother's attorney, Ira Schechter, acknowledges the video is "really grainy."
"But I could still make out what I thought was clearly a police officer removing surveillance wires off Devor Stoner and then running away," Schechter said. "And even I thought I could see the wrapping of the wire around his wrist as he sprinted off."
The lawsuit presents only one side of the allegations.
LMPD initially declined to be interviewed for this story, citing its policy not to comment on pending litigation. Later on Tuesday, the department issued a statement that read:
"LMPD resoundingly refutes what is being put forth and further encourages interested parties to submit open records requests for the body-worn camera footage as necessary redactions must be completed in accordance with Kentucky state law."
WLKY has filed an open records request for the body camera footage of the officers seen in the video. LMPD said it is in the process of making redactions required under state law.
Stoner died on Aug. 25, 2021, after being fatally shot at the Zaxby's restaurant on Fern Valley Road. At the time, LMPD said all parties were accounted for and there was little ensuing media coverage of Stoner's death.
No more information was publicly disclosed about the circumstances of that shooting until Tuesday when the Jefferson County Commonwealth's Attorney's Office filed a legal document in the indictment of a 19-year-old charged in Stoner's death.
On July 27, Antonio Lawson was indicted on charges of complicity to murder and complicity to robbery.
According to court documents filed in that case, Stoner was shot while he and Lawson "attempted to rob and carjack" a victim identified by the initials D.M.
Stoner and Lawson were walking near Preston Highway when they encountered D.M. and asked for a ride, according to those court documents.
Below is an excerpt:
"During the trip, D.M. made a wrong turn and pulled into the Zaxby's parking lot to look at his phone for directions.
"While sitting in the vehicle on the lot, Lawson and Stoner attempted to rob and carjack D.M. Stoner held a gun to D.M.'s back while Lawson attempted to grab him. D.M. stated he pushed Lawson, who was sitting in the front passenger seat, and reached for his own handgun from the glove box of his vehicle. He stated Lawson told Stoner to shoot him. D.M. heard 4 clicks coming from Stoner's gun. D.M. was able to retrieve his gun and fired it at Stoner twice, who was sitting in the back passenger’s seat. Stoner died on scene."
That narrative counters claims made in the civil lawsuit, which alleges Stoner was "unarmed when he was shot and did not pose a risk of harm to anyone involved or present during the operation."
While the cell phone footage remains their primary evidence in the case, Schechter said he is confident additional evidence will prove their claims.
According to LMPD's standard operating procedures, a person under the age of 18 can only be used as an informant with a supervisor's permission and a waiver of liability from a parent or guardian.
Schechter said his client, Stoner's mother, never signed such a waiver.
"She would like to see this case somehow spark a movement where you can't have kids as confidential informants and states start making laws to that affect," he said.