LOUISVILLE, Ky. — The family of a Louisville woman who was killed by her boyfriend has filed a lawsuit, suing Metro Government, LMPD and two of its officers.
The lawsuit said LMPD should have done more to protect Amanda Berry, a victim of domestic violence killed in 2020.
Summer Dickerson is the founder of ‘Women of the Well,’ a local nonprofit that helps people who've been trafficked and domestic violence victims. She said the system failed Berry at every level and it should be held accountable.
"It's not going to bring her back, but it's going to send a message that families are not going to keep accepting people dropping the ball because them dropping the ball is costing us our family member's life,” Dickerson said.
She said she hopes the lawsuit opens LMPD's and Metro Government's eyes.
"Unfortunately, this is one of tons of stories in our city and we can do better,” Dickerson said.
A domestic violence and trafficking survivor herself, Dickerson founder 'Women of the Well' six years ago. She said she's seen too many cases end like Berry's, and she remembers when she first heard the news.
"I actually cried because I said there's another woman that didn't get the resources that she needs,” Dickerson said.
In January 2020, Berry was found dead in the basement of the home she shared with her boyfriend, William Sloss.
One month prior, Berry called 911 after escaping from the home. A Public Integrity Unit report revealed Berry told responding officers Kiersten Holman and Cody Luckett that Sloss refused to let her leave the house.
The report revealed she told the officers he hit her, chased her down the street, held her in the house and took away her phone and other belongings. The officers did not complete a report, nor did they arrest Sloss. They were both served with citations and pleaded guilty, but the charges were later dropped after they took an 18-hour domestic violence course.
According to the lawsuit, officers gave Berry the option to fill out a mental health assessment form for Sloss, but gave her no direction to do so.
Also, the lawsuit claims officers allowed Berry to go back to the home she shared with Sloss on foot, by herself. When they reached the house, the lawsuit says officers saw Sloss and made no effort to arrest him, instead telling Berry to get her belongings and, "make it quick."
"I'm not one that's against police, but I am against the lack of accountability,” Dickerson said. “When somebody's trying to leave that's when they can die, so that's the most critical time."
According to the Louisville Metro Domestic Violence Prevention Coordinating Council report, there were 5 domestic violence deaths in 2019, down from 13 the year prior.
According to the 2014 Domestic Violence Fatality Review, domestic violence results in about 40 deaths in Kentucky per year.
In 2020, Berry was included in that numbers; two years later, her family is fighting to make sure her life means more moving forward.
LMPD and Metro Government said they does not comment on pending litigation.
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