Esters et al v. Pettway et al

On July 13, 2023, Tawanda Esters and the estate of Gregory Esters filed a federal civil rights lawsuit in the United States against Montgomery Police Officer Brandon Pettway and the City of Montgomery. The suit stems from a May 19, 2022 incident in which Officer Pettway shot and killed 37-year-old Gregory Esters during a traffic stop in Montgomery, Alabama. The plaintiffs allege that Pettway used excessive and unreasonable force, shooting Esters multiple times without justification. They further claim the city failed to properly train and supervise its officers, and that officials engaged in a cover-up by withholding body camera footage. The complaint asserts violations of the Fourth and Fourteenth Amendments, including wrongful death, excessive force, and malicious prosecution. The case quickly drew attention from civil rights activists.

The case is ongoing; no final judgment or settlement has been reported as of the current knowledge cutoff.

Whether Officer Pettway's use of deadly force was objectively reasonable; whether Gregory Esters posed an immediate threat; whether the City of Montgomery maintained a custom or policy of condoning excessive force; and whether the delayed release of evidence constituted a civil rights violation.

The lawsuit amplified calls for police accountability and transparency in Montgomery. Community protests followed the release of body camera footage, and local advocacy groups used the case to demand reforms in use-of-force policies and independent investigations of officer-involved shootings.