Some Claims Allowed Club Shooting Suit

BALTIMORE (AP) -- A federal judge has decided which claims against Baltimore officials can go forward in a lawsuit over the shooting of an Iraq war veteran by an off-duty officer outside a nightclub.

Judge Richard Bennett granted the dismissal of state claims on Monday, but denied a request to dismiss claims of federal civil rights violations.

Last month, a Baltimore judge found Officer Gahiji Tshamba guilty of manslaughter in the death of Tyrone Brown in June 2010.

A. Dwight Pettit is an attorney representing Brown's family in the suit against Tshamba, the Baltimore mayor and Council and police department and commissioner. He says the denial will allow the case to pursue policy changes, not just damages suffered by Brown's family. The city declined to comment.

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