Jacquez family settles with city of Rockyford

Police o∞cer convicted earlier in son’s death

The family of 27-year-old Jack Jacquez, who was fatally shot in the back by an on-duty officer, has reached a settlement Jacquez with the

city of Rocky Ford, according to the Pueblo Chieftain.

The lawsuit, filed by Jacquez’s mother, his estate and the mothers of his children against former Officer James Ashby, the city and former Chief Frank Gallegos, sought an unspecified amount of money for excessive force and violations of constitutional rights, the Chieftain reports.

Onoct. 12, 2014, Viola Jacquez heard her son Jack knock on the back door at about 2 a.m. and went to let him in the house. As her son walked into the kitchen, Viola saw Ashby angrily following him, raise a gun inches from her head and shoot Jack twice in the back. As Jack lay dying on the floor, the officer fired an orange stream of pepper spray at his back before hurrying out.

Before the shooting, Viola Jacquez said she saw her son struggle with Ashby over a skateboard before her son let go and walked away. Jack Jacquez had been heading home after a haircut at a friend’s house.

Ashby told investigators he thought Jack Jacquezwas a burglar but officials said the cop had no reason to believe the 27-year-old was committing a crime.

Ashbywas found guilty of murdering Jack Jacquez in June and was sentenced to 16 years in prison.

The Denver Post found Ashby had been accused of professional misconduct several times at his previous policing job andwas already at the center of an excessive-force investigation. Ashby is just one of several at the Rocky Ford Police Department who had problems at former jobs or had criminal convictions that might have kept them from being hired at bigger departments or in other states.

Ashby was the first Colorado policeman to face a murder charge in an on-duty death in at least two decades. Adenver officerwas acquitted in a 1992 shooting. It is unclear when the last Colorado cop was convicted of murder in an onduty death or if it has ever happened.

Danikaworthington: dworthington@ denverpost.com, 303-9541337 or @dani_worth