Judge Rules LAPD Chief Must Answer Questions About Ezell Ford Shooting

LOS ANGELES (CBSLA.com/AP) — The Los Angeles police chief will have to answer questions about the fatal officer-involved shooting of an unarmed black man last year.

Monday's ruling comes from a federal judge presiding over a lawsuit by the parents of Ezell Ford, 25, against the Los Angeles Police Department and the officers involved in his fatal shooting.

Magistrate Judge Margaret Nagle ruled that police Chief Charlie Beck will have to answer questions from attorney Federico Sayre, who represented Ford's parents in a deposition.

Nagle cited contradictory findings by Beck and the Los Angeles Police Commission.

COMPLETE COVERAGE: Ezell Ford Shooting

Speaking to reporters, Sayre said it's critical for Beck to weigh in on the incident in order to resolve lingering questions.

"The chief is the person who promulgates ... policy. He's the one who knows what the policies are for training," he said.

Last month, the commission found that officers had no reason to stop and question Ford, and that violation of department policy led to an altercation that ended with Ford's death.

Beck has said the officers in the shooting acted appropriately.

A date for the deposition was not immediately announced.

(TM and © Copyright 2015 CBS Local Media, a division of CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2015 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)