Another drug raid gone bad may have some severe consequences for the town of Bethlehem, PA. In a wrongful death case set for trial next week, the plaintiffs are seeking $1 billion in damages.

The civil trial is set to begin more than six years after Bethlehem police killed 21-year-old John Hirko Jr. during a drug raid of his South Side Bethlehem home at 629 Christian St.

bq. The plaintiffs say an 11-man special operations team recklessly attacked the home April 23, 1997, and left Hirko's body to burn in a fire after Hirko was shot 11 times in the back. The home went up in flames after police tossed a "flash-bang" concussion grenade into the living room.

"There was a conspiracy to assault this property in a fashion that was totally improper, and the conspiracy also is how they covered it up afterward," said John P. Karoly Jr., the plaintiffs' attorney.

Hirko's fiancée, Kristin Fodi, barely escaped by jumping out a second-floor window after police refused to assist her, Karoly said. The suit seeks $905 million in damages for Fodi, Hirko's parents and property owner Tuan Hoang. Karoly said he would settle for $20 million.

Walter in Denver has more details and justly concludes:

Hopefully cases like this will cause police departments around the nation to carefully consider the way they conduct drug raids. The potential for innocents to be hurt is very high, and police departments should be held accountable.

We taxpayers should be very concerned that ultimately we will be paying for any screw-ups by our drug warriors.