The United States Supreme Court has permitted the continuation of a wrongful death lawsuit against an Arlington police officer, Craig Roper. Roper shot 23-year-old Tavis Crane during a 2017 felony warrant investigation stemming from a traffic stop. Crane had refused to exit the vehicle, leading to Roper, acting as a backup officer, placing him in a chokehold and firing a shot. The car, in motion, subsequently struck the arresting officer, resulting in injuries. Crane succumbed to his injuries the following day at a hospital.
Officer Roper was cleared of criminal wrongdoing by a Tarrant County grand jury, but the Arlington NAACP contends that his use of deadly force was unwarranted and excessive. They argue that the initial reason for pulling Crane over was a misunderstanding, as the original officer allegedly mistook a plastic candy cane for drug paraphernalia. The Arlington NAACP calls for a comprehensive trial on the case’s merits, asserting that the incident should not be dismissed without thorough examination.
Despite the city of Arlington’s attempt to shield Officer Roper from civil liability, the Supreme Court rejected the request, allowing Crane’s family’s wrongful death lawsuit to proceed to trial.
