HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- Four years after an HPD officer crashed into and killed Charles Payne, his family will finally have their case heard in federal court starting Monday.

In December 2021, Payne was driving home from church, heading south on Shepherd. When he made a left turn, he was struck by a police cruiser driven by then-HPD officer Christopher Cabrera.

Payne died from his injuries. Soon after, his family filed a civil lawsuit against the City of Houston and Cabrera. For the past three years, the case has moved through both trial and appellate courts. Experts say the city tried to have the case dismissed partly because such cases are so uncommon.

"They managed to get over a really remarkable hurdle as it is," said Eric Gerard, a former federal prosecutor now in private pract

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