Court says officers' shooting of unarmed man was justified

BALTIMORE (AP) -- A federal appeals court has declined to revive a mother's lawsuit against two Baltimore police officers who killed her son after she called 911 to get medical attention for him.

A three judge panel of the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals on Friday affirmed a lower court ruling that said the officers' use of force was justified because Maurice Donald Johnson was acting violently.

The officers fatally shot Johnson in 2012 after his mother, Marcella Holloman, called 911 because he was having a mental health episode. Attorneys for the officers said Johnson punched and lunged at them and pinned one officer to the ground.

Holloman's lawyer, Stephen Braga, said her legal team respects the decision and is considering options.