St. Paul Trial To Rehash 1970 Officer Murder

ST. PAUL (AP) -- A federal lawsuit going to trial this week accuses some St. Paul police officers of avenging the 1970 murder of a fellow officer.

Gerald Hutchinson accuses three officers who arrested him in 2007 of using excessive force because they believed he was involved in James Sackett's death.

The officers' attorneys argue Hutchinson struggled and they used the force needed to arrest him.

According to court records, Hutchinson, now 60, was 16 when Sackett was shot, and he grew up near people implicated in the case.

The woman told police in 2007 she was a witness and her ex-boyfriend, Hutchinson, had threatened her and shown up recently at her workplace.

The trial is set to begin Tuesday.

He's seeking at least $75,000 in damages.