Citizen Staff Writer
By IRENE HSIAO
ihsiao@tucsoncitizen.com
A judge has removed herself from a case involving a woman who says she was injured by less-lethal fire as police quelled 2001′s basketball riot on North Fourth Avenue, an attorney for the city said.
It was not immediately clear why Judge Leslie Miller recused herself, but judges typically do so if they know the parties involved in a lawsuit or have some other connection to a case.
The city’s attorney, Daryl Audillet, said he is hopeful the trial will go forward next week.
Lynda Canfield’s suit alleges she was injured as she rode her bicycle home on April 2, 2001, after the University of Arizona’s loss to Duke in the NCAA basketball tournament’s championship game.
Canfield’s attorney, Stanton Bloom, could not be reached for comment last night.
In 2003, a jury awarded $765,000 to Jeff Knepper, who lost an eye after being hit with a police beanbag round during the riot.