Family seek judicial review of police shooting of unarmed Taranaki man Kaoss Price
The family of Kaoss Price is seeking a judicial review of the IPCA's decision not to prosecute the officer who fatally shot the unarmed 22-year-old in 2022. The family argues that the officer used excessive force and that the investigation lacked transparency.
Why it matters
This case highlights ongoing debates regarding police accountability, the use of force, and the treatment of Māori men in the New Zealand justice system.
The family of Kaoss Price is seeking a judicial review of the Independent Police Conduct Authority's (IPCA) investigation into his fatal shooting in April 2022.
The unarmed 22-year-old died on State Highway 3, between New Plymouth and Waitara, after ramming a police car and attempting to steal cars from passers-by.
The IPCA's investigation found the officer who fired the fatal shot used excessive force, but did not recommend prosecuting the officer .
The family is now asking for that recommendation to be ignored, and for prosecution to go ahead.
At the High Court in Wellington on Monday, the family's lawyer Christopher Stevenson KC said when the officer shot Price point blank, the young man was running for his life.
Previously, his lawyers argued police had not provided adequate information to support the decision not to prosecute.
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