Judge sets timeline for Ferguson lawsuit

A federal judge this week set a timeline for the future of the lawsuit filed by Ryan Ferguson and his attorney.

In court documents filed Wednesday, a federal judge orders a jury trial to begin May 4, 2015.

That is, unless Ferguson and the defendants come to a settlement beforehand. The documents set out a May 3, 2015 deadline for a settlement.

Other important dates in the document include a deadline for adding new parties and for amending pleadings of June 27, 2014.

All discovery motions must be filed by the parties by November 12, 2014.

An initial pretrial conference was scheduled in Judge Laughrey’s chambers in Jefferson City on April 23, 2015 at 2 p.m.

Ferguson and attorney Kathleen Zellner filed the $100 million lawsuit against the City of Columbia and Boone County, among several police officers and prosecuting attorney investigators, on March 10.

That was the 10th anniversary of Ferguson’s arrest for the 2001 death of Columbia Daily Tribune sports editor Kent Heitholt.