A woman suing the Easton Police Department over the death of her son can't find a lawyer willing to handle the case.

So the federal judge presiding over it has invited the attorney for the police department to file a motion to throw it out.

The lawsuit accuses Easton police Sgt. Dominick Marraccini of allowing Richard Scheuermann III to bleed to death and accuses the city police department of condoning the excessive use of force.

Scheuermann, 39, of Palmer Township, was fatally shot by Marraccini on Oct. 24, 2014, after a multi-jurisdictional chase. Marraccini was cleared of criminal wrongdoing after an investigation by the Pennsylvania Attorney General's Office.

State investigators at the time said video and audio recordings of the chase and shooting supported witness accounts that police believed their lives were in danger.

The lawsuit says Scheuermann's driving posed no danger to anyone -- a stark contrast to police descriptions of a wild chase that culminated in a tense crash scene where Scheuermann ignored police commands and stabbed himself in the neck with a pocket knife.

Attorney Patrick Geckle of Philadelphia filed the lawsuit on Oct. 20, 2016, against the city. But he left the case May 15.

U.S. District Court Judge Jeffrey L. Schmehl gave Scheuermann's mother, Lois Spaziani, 60 days to find a new lawyer. That deadline came and went in mid-July.

On Friday, the judge said Spaziani will have to proceed as her own attorney.

"Defendants are permitted to file a dispositive motion at this time," Schmehl wrote.

It's not clear when and if city attorney David MacMain will file that motion. An automatic email response indicates he'll be out of his office through Aug. 7.

"She has been told by four attorneys now that there is no basis for the claim," MacMain responded vial email to a question posed by lehighvalleylive.com on July 22.

Attorney Joshua Karoly considered taking the case but ultimately decided against it. It's not clear which other two attorneys reviewed and rejected it.

Spaziani didn't return a phone message Tuesday.

Named as defendants are the city, Easton Mayor Sal Panto Jr., Marraccini and Easton police officer John Doe, although the unidentified officer's role isn't specified in the paperwork. The city mayor and police chief have maintained that the lawsuit has no merit.

Scheuermann died three months after he was released from state prison in New Jersey.

In 2012, a Superior Court Judge in New Jersey sentenced Scheuermann to five years in prison after he pleaded guilty to aggravated assault and criminal restraint charges.

Authorities said in December 2010, Scheuermann detained his ex-girlfriend in Lopatcong Township, forced her to drive him to his home at the time in Sciota, Pa., and held her against her will for nearly a day.

Rudy Miller may be reached at rmiller@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow him on Twitter @RudyMillerLV. Find Easton area news on Facebook.