Just two days after Brittains death, 23-year-old Dimitri Lanahan was also shot dead by police near Fairbanks, Alaska, after brandishing a fake gun. Davis is being charged with manslaughter following the June shooting death of 17-year-old Hunter Brittain. Graham, who recused himself from the case July 8, denied the Freedom of Information request July 15. I sat in the back of the cop car for about three hours.. Referred to Committee on . The teenager then fell to the ground face down. Personal injury attorneys Ben Crump and Devon M. Jacob filed the lawsuit and they issued this statement: Staley is sued both personally and in his individual capacity. A memorial service was held Tuesday for Hunter Brittain one week after the officer who fatally shot the Arkansas teen was fired from his post for failing to activate his body-worn camera,. An email from the agency also stated that Graham had opposed release of the footage at that time. Harley Brittain, Hunters uncle, pointed out, This is happening all across the country, and this is happening too close to home for us. Davis was charged with manslaughter; to be convicted, a jury must find that he recklessly caused Brittains death. He was white too, so you likely hadnt heard about that one either. @KATVNews #arnews pic.twitter.com/XNMb5YWP1q Mills Hayes (@KATVMillsHayes) June 23, 2021 Beebe, Ark. Michael Davis, a Lonoke County sheriff's deputy. This tragedy has gone unreported in the New York Times, the principal media voice of the Democratic Party, Jacobin magazine, which is linked to the Democratic Socialists of America, and Liberation News, the online newspaper of the Party for Socialism and Liberation. For nearly four decades, I have stood alongside grieving families, preached at funerals, led marches against police brutality and fought on behalf of people who are voiceless. Originally dubbed "Black . The Lonoke County Sheriff's Office said it has turned the investigation of the shooting that occurred at about 3 a.m. over to Arkansas State Police. Help us deliver the latest daily reporting and analysis on news, politics, culture and food in Arkansas. Founded 1974, the Arkansas Times is a lively, opinionated source for news, politics & culture in Arkansas. Lets all wait until the facts are confirmed.. We come for what is right. The mostly white audience applauded. Mobile App. Relatives have said a witness to the shooting claims Davis didn't give oral commands before the shooting. Supporting the Arkansas Times' independent journalism is more vital than ever. [3], The body camera of the deputy was turned over to Arkansas State Police. It never gets any easier when you receive that phone call about another death at the hands of law enforcement or hear the pain in the voice of a parent or grandparent who now has to bury a child or loved one because of police misconduct. He suggested a law that would require law enforcement agencies to affirmatively post videos of events. The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has profoundly affected the US healthcare system. A special prosecutor announced the charge against 30-year-old Michael Davis, a former sergeant with the Lonoke County Sheriff's Office, in the fatal shooting of 17-year-old Hunter Brittain. The 17-year-old was shot and killed after a Lonoke County Sheriff's Office deputy stopped him around 3 AM. Lonoke County Sheriff John Staley released a video on Facebook Wednesday in which he states that he had provided state police with body camera footage of the shooting. His uncle, Jesse Brittain, said the family wouldn't stop advocating until there was justice for Hunter and he also invoked "unjust killings". Join now to unlock comments, browse ad-free, and access exclusive content from your favorite FDRLST writers, Eddie Scarry is the D.C. columnist at The Federalist and author of ". Davis pulled over Hunter Brittain, 17, on June 23, 2021, outside Cabot, a small town 30 miles north of Little Rock. SEARCH; For Sale. Setting and Participants A total of 173 sedentary, overweight (body mass index . His sister sent me these photos. No firearms were found in or near the truck. Immediately after Andrew Brown was killed earlier this year, the media were hyping up his case as proof of their complete myth that cops are targeting innocent black people. Michael Davis, during a traffic stop June 23 near Cabot, about 30 miles . His story. There is a witness to Brittain's shooting. Devon Jacob, whos been a lawyer for George Floyds family, said racism is sometimes an element in police shootings. Sharpton had cynically sought to use the police murder of a white teenager to marshal support for the Democrats token George Floyd Act police reform bill in the Senate, which recently collapsed in negotiations. The attorneys and the family have maintained that Brittain was shot three times by Lonoke County sheriff's office Sgt. Hunter was a 17-year-old kid who had the right to live. They are generally recruited from among the more backward social elements in keeping the function they perform on behalf of the ruling corporate-financial elite. When police arrived at his home to detain him, body camera footage showed he tried evading the cops in his car, nearly plowing into one of the officers on the scene. 27 June 2021. As a result, there have only been nine days this year where police did not kill someone. Protesters gathered outside the Lonoke County Sheriff's Office last Wednesday in Lonoke, Arkansas, consisting of friends and family of 17-year-old Hunter Brittain, who was gunned . Hunter was white, a fact that may surprise people familiar with the cases I have represented in the past. The benefit of releasing footage far outweighs the negative effects of holding onto that footage.". A conviction on the charge carries a sentence of a minimum of three years to a maximum of 10 years in prison. Justice for Hunter. The cry would be repeated. And also, justice for all of our other brothers and sisters dying at the hands of law enforcement hired to protect and serve us around this country.. Of those deaths 47 were killed by self inflicted wounds and by other cops. Copyright 2023, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, Inc. Instead, [Staley] fired Davis for not recording the crime, instead of for committing the crime, attorneys Ben Crump and Devon Jacob said in a statement after the sentencing. Were ready to find out something. Al Sharpton. Hunter Brittain's uncle: "Nothing would've stopped him in lifeexcept those bullets", Arkansas deputy involved in teen shooting fired for not having bodycam turned on, 27 percent of people killed by police were Black, Rev. We will not stop advocating until we have justice for you, Hunter, his uncle, Jesse Brittain, said at Hunters memorial last week. King noticed that a patrol vehicle began to follow them, whereupon the deputy pulled them over just before the Mahoneys body shop driveway. Noted civil rights attorneys Ben Crump and Devin Jacob were retained by Brittain's family in the days after the shooting as the case drew national attention. Updated: 1:05 PM CDT April 5, 2022. Mike Davis near a body shop . They didnt say one word that I know of, King said. Saved Searches . Like so many. Davis faces between three and 10 years in prison if convicted. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. With over 63,000 Facebook followers, 58,000 Twitter followers, 35,000 Arkansas blog followers, and 70,000 daily email blasts, it's clear that our readers value our great journalism. On 11/01/2007 STATE OF FLORIDA filed an Other - Other Criminal lawsuit against LAYNE, BRITTAIN K. This case was filed in Escambia County Courts, Escambia County Courthouse located in Escambia, Florida. A seventeen-year-old white boy from McRae, Arkansas, Hunter was a rising senior at Beebe High School. The AP will not be held liable for any delays, inaccuracies, errors or omissions therefrom or in the transmission or delivery of all or any part thereof or for any damages arising from any of the foregoing. A summary of the affidavit was read by attorney Phillips at the news conference, which established a timeline leading up to the shooting and its aftermath. You are not tested by helping those that you like or know well, Sharpton said. In 2020, 27 percent of people killed by police were Black, despite being only 13 percent of the population. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. The release of body camera footage can help build public trust, he said. It is long past time that we end qualified immunity, which shields police officers from being held personally accountable in civil lawsuits. After placing King in custody, Davis and the deputy cleared Brittains truck. Hunter Brittain funeral includes loud (and biracial) calls for justice and police Lonoke death joins national discussion on police tactics, To-Do List: The Reps Marie and Rosetta, Mary Gauthier, Argenta Plaza Summer Series, Raya and the Last Dragon on the riverfront. The overwhelming majority of these victims are working class. after a sheriff's deputy shot and killed a 17-year-old man during a traffic stop who was trying to fix his car. One blanket statement won't cover it, Lawrence said. Brittains passenger said the pair had been working on the trucks transmission. States like California, Connecticut and Colorado have passed legislation that body-worn camera video of certain incidents be publicly disclosed within a specific time frame, which can range from a few days to more than a month after the incident. He hosts "PoliticsNation," which airs from 5 to 6 p.m. The pickup he was driving the night he was shot by a Lonoke deputy after a traffic stop was parked outside. ], In the video, Staley went on to say, Sadly, on social media, some people are demanding I take action without waiting for evidence. As of 2018, at least 23 states and the District of Columbia had passed laws related to the public disclosure of body-worn camera footage, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. He said it might be controversial. Scott Hundley, owner of Hundley Construction, said Brittain had worked for him on and off over the past few years. Case Last Refreshed: 2 weeks ago Track Case Changes Download Docket Print Docket filed a(n) Name Change - Family case in the jurisdiction of Grand Forks County. The suit, which you can read here, also names Lonoke deputy Nathan Rice as a defendant. That doesnt mean he or any one of these people deserved to die, but at minimum, it dramatically changes the degree to which race was a relevant factor, if a factor at all. He listed police victims Black, white and Chinese laid at the presidents feet. Mr Brittain was taken to a North Little Rock hospital after the shooting, where he later died. King was later interviewed by the Arkansas State Police regarding what had occurred. As I stated at his service, Hunter had a bottle of antifreeze, and perhaps that is the message: We must unfreeze hearts because for too long we have been frozen in our own race, our own class, our own comfort levels. Officials have repeatedly denied the release of body camera footage since the June 23 shooting, citing it as part of an ongoing investigation. The police officer has a lot more situational awareness of a danger than maybe your or I would be aware of, Newcomb said. IE 11 is not supported. Davis replied he could not see Brittains hands, nor what was in his hand prior to discharging his county-issued firearm. Since the beginning of the incident, Phillips continued, There was no evidence of firearms located in or around Brittains truck and never has been since the investigation.. -- Nationally renowned civil rights and personal injury attorneys Ben Crump and Devon Jacob issued the following statement following the firing of Sergeant . Founded 1974, the Arkansas Times is a lively, opinionated source for news, politics & culture in Arkansas. Unlock premium content, ad-free browsing, and access to comments for just $4/month. For 48 years, we've been fighting the good fight in Little Rock and beyond with your support, we can do even more. This was the first time I was invited to speak at a service where the victim was white, but as soon as I received the call about Hunters death, I immediately said yes. A Freedom of Information request for the footage was sent to Phillips on July 14. "They didn't say one word that I know of. It was 3 a.m. on a dark stretch of rural highway, and 17-year-old Hunter Brittain and his cousin were test-driving the pickup truck they'd been tinkering with at a local repair shop all night.. On Thursday, protesters in pick-up trucks did burnouts in the parking lot of the sheriffs office. Places. An Arkansas-Democrat Gazette Freedom of Information request to state police was denied on the grounds that the case was still under investigation. [The officer] told me get out with my hands up and pull my shirt up and stuff, and then [forced] me to the ground, put me in handcuffs and was dragging me around and stuff. The civil rights leader and the high-profile attorney, who Sharpton has dubbed "Black America's Attorney general," deemed the police shooting of 17-year-old Hunter Brittain "one of the most. Hunter Brittain was 17 years old when he died. The police, recruited from the lower-middle class and most backward elements of the working class, are licensed killers who protect and enforce the property interests of the ruling class. King explained that the second police officer that arrived at the scene detained him: [The officer] told me get out with my hands up and pull my shirt up and stuff, and then [forced] me to the ground, put me in handcuffs and was dragging me around and stuff. The jury found Michael Davis guilty of the misdemeanor charge, but not guilty of manslaughter. At approximately 3:00 am (CDT) on Wednesday, June 23, 2021, 17-year-old Hunter Brittain, who was unarmed, was shot by Lonoke County sheriff's deputy Sgt. In the early morning hours of Wednesday, June 23, Davis initiated a traffic stop after seeing a white GMC pick-up truck smoking, whereupon Brittain immediately exited his vehicle, moved to the rear of his vehicle, as it was rolling backwards towards the front of Daviss patrol vehicle, to reach into the bed of the truck to retrieve a bright blue anti-freeze container. With over 63,000 Facebook followers, 58,000 Twitter followers, 35,000 Arkansas blog followers, and 70,000 daily email blasts, our readers value great journalism. "There is no national standard," said Alissa Marque Heydari, deputy director for the Institute of Innovation in Prosecution at the college. Michael Davis, a former police sergeant in Arkansas, has been charged with manslaughter for "recklessly" shooting and Hunter Brittain, an unarmed 17-year-old killed during a traffic stop gone . But in this case, as in all the cases I have taken, it isnt just about Black or white; its about whats right and wrong. Deaths of white people as a result of police violence, such as Brittain, are largely swept under the rug because they cut across the racialist narrative promoted by the Democratic Party and the pseudo-left. Martins mother, Lakisha Williams, said she understands what the Brittain family was going through. The report from the Pulaski County coroner in Little Rock says that Hunter Brittain, 17, was killed during a predawn June 23 traffic stop when he stepped from his truck and approached the deputy . He added, We dont just come for one race. The law would require all Arkansas police officers to wear a body camera which would be kept turned on during their shift. More than a month after a Lonoke County deputy shot and killed 17-year-old Hunter Brittain, officials have yet to release body camera footage amid a national conversation about police transparency. The attorneys also represented the family of George Floyd, 46, who died in 2020 while in police custody in Minneapolis. When Brittain remarked that we must end qualified immunity, he received a standing ovation and rightfully so. According to Crump, the families wanted to know if Republican Governor Asa Hutchinson supported Hunters Lawa proposed reform which would require law enforcement agencies in the state to provide police officers with body-mounted cameras while also requiring officers to activate their body-mounted cameras from the beginning of their shift to the end. 9 groceries, 40 restaurants . I have demanded justice for countless other victims of police brutality, and we demand justice now for Hunter and his family. "I do think it would be useful to have legislation that gives the public easier access to body camera footage," he said. A prayer from his pastor opened the remarks. Physical activity may promote weight and body fat loss. "Justice for Hunter." The cry would be repeated. For Rent. That the world needs to melt frozen hearts that separate us. Maybe, said, Hunter Brittain is calling for some anti-freeze. He closed, to cheering, Its anti-freeze time.. Michael Davis near Cabot, Arkansas, United States. Property News:Sunny playground where the growth is only just beginning - domain.com.au, Your web browser is no longer supported. The prosecuting attorney in that case, Larry Jegley, released his decision not to file criminal charges April 19. By subscribing and supporting our efforts, you'll not only have access to all of our articles, but you'll also be helping us hire more writers to expand our coverage. If he [the sheriffs deputy] felt like he was in danger, hes got a taser on his hip. 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