LONG HAUL LAWSUIT

A lawsuit alleging racial profi ling by Springfi eld police has been set for trial…in 2016.

Samuel Johnson of Springfi eld is suing the Springfi eld Police Department and the two white police offi cers who stopped him in November 2013 on a traffi c violation that was later deemed not a violation at all. Johnson, who is black, claims the stop and subsequent arrest were racially motivated, but the offi cers and the department say they were just enforcing the law as they understood it. Assuming the case makes it to trial, Johnson’s lawsuit faces another year and a half of evidence hearings and other pre-trial arguments. The City of Springfi eld responded to the lawsuit earlier this month, saying Johnson was “contributory negligent,” which is legal speak meaning he invited arrest by his own actions. The city also claims the two offi cers are entitled to “qualifi ed immunity” because they were merely carrying out department policy. If Johnson can see his lawsuit through while he also runs for mayor of Springfi eld in the 2015 city election, the case could raise some important questions about race relations in Springfi eld.