A widow’s lawsuit accusing the city and five police officers of civil rights violations preceding her husband’s murder at a paper mill has been transferred to federal court in Milwaukee. Lawyers for the defendants sought the move, and it was granted automatically, said city lawer Winston Ostrow. Susan Monfils’ lawyer, Bruce Bachhuber, said the change in jurisdiction wasn’t a surprise. Mrs. Monfils filed the lawsuit claiming police improperly released a 911 tape of a phone call her husband, Thomas, made to inform them of a theft planned at the James River paper mill in 1992. The release of the tape led to Monfils’ murder, the suit says. Mrs. Monfils’ suit was filed against the city, the police department, an assistant city attorney and five police officers. It was assigned to U.S. District Judge Thomas Curran. No court dates have been set, but the defendants must file a written response to the claim by Dec. 28.
