HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, Fla. — The trial for two Bay area parents suing the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office and the Florida State Fair started Monday with jury selection.
What You Need To Know
- Andrew Joseph III was killed in 2014 while crossing Interstate 4 after he and about 100 other kids were kicked out of the fair
- His parents say no one notified them about what was happening or contacted them to pick up their son that night
- Jury selection was Monday; trial expected to last about 8 days
Andrew Joseph III was killed in 2014 while crossing Interstate 4 after he and about 100 other kids were kicked out of the fair.
“He always had a glow in him, you know,” his father, Andrew Joseph Jr., said while looking through a suitcase full of both photos and legal documents.
Deputies during the 2014 incident said teens were fighting and that some were arrested. Andrew Joseph III was not charged.
His parents say no one notified them about what was happening or contacted them to pick up their son that night. The family sued the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office and the fair.
“The biggest part is to wipe the mud off of his name,” Andrew Joseph Jr. said.
Press conference underway outside Fed courthouse for #AndrewJosephIII. Speakers from all over the country with #BLM are here supporting the family of the teen hit and killed crossing I-4 8yrs ago. His family is suing the Hillsborough Co. sheriff’s office for their role. @BN9 pic.twitter.com/vL2tz4fZjF
— Saundra WeathersOnTV (@SaundraONTV) September 12, 2022
The court process has taken years – appeal after appeal — partly because of what’s called “qualified immunity.” It protects law enforcement from liability for doing their jobs.
“It’s a legal doctrine that pretty much says that if law enforcement is acting in legal capacity then they cannot be punished, they cannot be sued,” said the mother, Deanna Joseph.
Spectrum Bay News 9 reached out to an attorney for the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office and received this statement: "We intend to try the case in the courtroom where the jury will be able to evaluate the facts and all of the evidence."
But it’s become a focus for the Joseph family as they search for answers.
Every year on Student Day at the Florida State Fair, the parents stand across the street with supporters, demanding changes.
Since the teenager’s death, there is now a supervised waiting area for children ejected from the fair. Authorities also contact the parent’s child or guardian to let them know.
After 6 p.m., minors have to be joined by an adult. There are also more security cameras and uniformed and undercover deputies.
Shortly after Andrew’s death, the family launched a foundation in his honor, adding his name to their front yard.
They say whatever happens in court this week, they’ll never stop advocating for safety measures to protect children, in the name of their son.
The trial is expected to take about eight days.