The only thing that bothered me is that they checked with Graham and they wouldnt let us look at the video, Newcomb said. Minutes after the shooting, a third deputy starts to console Davis while still at the scene. All rights reserved. The family is going to continue to trust the process, Jacob said. While it is difficult to wait for answers, it is important that the investigation that occurs is both fair and complete.. Your life had meaning, youre loved and your family will not stop advocating until we have justice for you, Hunter, he said. Crump and Jacob invoked other people killed by police, including Breonna Taylor, a Kentucky woman who was fatally shot during a botched police raid. Davis is white. A family photo of Hunter Brittain, a 17-year-old boy from Arkansas who was shot during a traffic stop, when an officer saw him reaching for a jug in the back of his truck. Crump led the crowd in chanting, Hunter Brittains life matters.. Arkansas State Police investigated Davis use of deadly force and turned over its findings to Fifth Judicial District Prosecuting Attorney Jeff Phillips, who was named special prosecutor for the case July 12. Former Arkansas deputy Michael Davis was found guilty of negligent homicide in the shooting death of 17-year-old Hunter Brittain. Neither these AP materials nor any portion thereof may be stored in a computer except for personal and noncommercial use. "Why'd he hop out of the truck and grab that? Some of Brittains family members have said a witness to the shooting claims Davis didnt offer verbal commands before the shooting. Start your Independent Premium subscription today. Staley on Monday said he welcomed those who want to peacefully protest, but that out-of-state activists could risk inflaming an already difficult situation.. The law states that records, files and information kept, obtained or retained by the lab are privileged and confidential and that only a defendant, attorney of defendant or prosecuting attorney can be granted access to records pertaining to a defendants criminal case.. He also shared what made him fear for his life, which consequently made him fire his gun. Davis, who was originally charged with felony. During his instruction it states that you must tell the subject you are going to shoot them before "if possible." The email went on to state, Chuck Graham, Lonoke Prosecuting Attorney, has further opposed the release of the body camera footage related to this incident at this time. When asked by the Democrat-Gazette, Graham confirmed that he continued to communicate with the state police agency up until filing his recusal. The report was first requested by the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette on July 8. The next day, the Arkansas State Police passed the investigation file to Grahams office. Special prosecutors, who dont have connections to the police agency, are then appointed by the Arkansas prosecutor coordinator, Bob McMahan. Chuck. Text messages sent later that day and on June 28 were redacted by the state police agency. You tend to know almost all the officers, it doesnt mean you recuse on everything. Graham refused to comment further on the communications when asked by the Democrat-Gazette on Wednesday. Material from the Associated Press is Copyright 2023, Associated Press and may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The state police released a majority of the investigative file Friday. Lonoke County Prosecutor Chuck Graham said he had received the Arkansas State Police case file on the deadly shooting of the teen during a June 23 . After a few minutes, he can be heard crying. I dont want to jeopardize this case, its too important, he said. Heres what you need to know. Video at arkansasonline.com/mdavis/. Neither Brittains nor Davis attorneys are supportive of Grahams decision to withhold body-camera footage. Please read our Terms of Use or contact us. The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette and other media outlets have requested footage of the shooting for the past nine months, since the incident happened. It's not that this isn't a shocking and tragic. The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette reported that Davis was also given a $1,000 fine. 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. Brittains death has received national attention in the wake of other fatal shootings involving police. The family's attorney, Devon Jacob said they aren't going to focus on the charges, but rather look at the meaning behind the jury's decision. Another witness who was nearby during the shooting said he was at the shop waiting on Brittain and a friend when he heard the gunshots. The Arkansas State Police on Friday released body camera footage showing the moments after former Lonoke County sheriff's Deputy Michael Davis fatally shot Hunter Brittain during an early morning traffic stop June 23. The coroners report does not specify how many times Brittain was shot but does list the immediate cause/manner of death as gunshot wound of neck and arm. The firearm was listed as a police-issued, semi-automatic pistol. On June 23, Hunter's life was cut short when a Lonoke County sheriff's deputy fatally shot him during a traffic stop. They should have no interaction with police officers because that can create a sense of bias, Marque Heydari said. She said that is easier for larger prosecuting offices to implement. On June 24, Graham sent an email to state police special agent Robert Middleton saying, Per our phone conversation, we will not be releasing the body camera video of the recent Officer Involved Shooting in Lonoke County at this time. Both were lawyers in George Floyd's murder case. A jury found former Lonoke County Sgt. Brittain was fatally shot by a deputy during a traffic stop . Jurors acquitted Michael Davis of manslaughter while finding him guilty of the misdemeanor charge in the death of 17-year-old Hunter Brittain during a June traffic stop outside Cabot, a city of about 26,000 people roughly 30 miles north-east of Little Rock. What happened the night Hunter Brittain died? The passenger in Brittains truck said he and the teen had been working on the pickups transmission. The white teens death prompted protests in a region of the state not known for speaking out against police violence. All rights reserved. The memorial included calls to pass federal legislation in Floyds name to overhaul police practices. Post your articles here so that everyone will have a chance to see our government at work (or showing their lack thereof) taking their own to task! Attorney Ben Crump and Jacob were retained by Brittains family in the days after the shooting as the case received national attention. When asked for more information, such as the number of times Davis shot Brittain, Shantea Nelson, office manager in the Pulaski County coroners office, said that a state medical examiners autopsy report would have more information than a coroners report. It has been called Dr. Seuss Day because of this. I was working from home. A key piece to the kit involves prosecutors clearly outlining decisions for the public. Hey, ever wounder what happened at the end of that case?? Associated Press text, photo, graphic, audio and/or video material shall not be published, broadcast, rewritten for broadcast or publication or redistributed directly or indirectly in any medium. This is the ideal, Marque Heydari said. Pierson pled guilty to one count of vehicular manslaughter with gross negligence. Crump previously released a statement that Brittain was shot three times by Lonoke County sheriffs Sgt. The car, which had transmission issues, began smoking and was pulled over by Davis as it neared the repair shop. Got a tip? The two government bodies work separately but lean on each other to take criminal cases to fruition. Graham filed the motion for a special prosecutor on July 8, a week after a conversation with the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette. "[It's] going to cost him $15,000 to go home and be with his family, while we're at a loss. Both are representing Brittains family. The biggest thing about his testimony was that he said he never heard Davis give any verbal cues until after Brittain was shot. 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 wrong. Print Headline: Lonoke deputy fatally shot teen Hunter Brittain in neck, arm, coroner says. During the early morning hours of June 23, Davis spotted Brittain driving a vehicle that was smoking heavily and an engine that was knocking, Newcomb said Wednesday. Davis was originally charged with manslaughter, in a a case that was difficult for everyone involved. According to his family members, he went to place a large blue plastic bottle. Its about right and wrong.. The civil rights attorneys, who represented George Floyds family after Minneapolis police killed him in May 2020, said: Hunter deserved better. After closing arguments, one juror had to leave for a medical emergency and they had to bring in an alternate juror, with deliberation beginning around 5 p.m. on Thursday, March 17. I dont think he did anything that clearly prejudiced Davis rights in the case.. Press J to jump to the feed. His death sparked nationwide protests over policing and racial inequality. Copyright 2023, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, Inc. Davis claimed he didn't realize he didn't turn on his body camera until after the shots were fired. Sadly there is not really anyone who we can point to here in Arkansas who is a quote and quote expert who can talk on this because it is untreaded territory right now. The killing in the predominantly white community has drawn the attention of national civil rights activists . Killing of Hunter Brittain Read Edit View history 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. "We're glad that we're finally at this point. Larger agencies might not have the day-to-day contact with individual investigators, which you find in a small prosecutors office, Golden said. The case attracted attention from national civil rights leaders better known for their work with Black Lives Matter. Weeks later the investigative file was sent to his office, and the state polices denial regarding the release of body-camera footage related to the shooting cited Grahams opinion on the issue. who was shot and killed by a white Lonoke County sheriffs deputy. Notifications can be turned off anytime in the browser settings. Copyright 2023, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, Inc. Davis was fired by Lonoke County Sheriff John Staley a week after the shooting for breaking a department policy that requires deputies body cameras to be turned on before interactions with the public. Michael Davis of the Lonoke County sheriff's office are shown in this undated combination of courtesy photos. Jesse Brittain, Hunters uncle, received a standing ovation when he called for an end to qualified immunity for police officers, a legal doctrine that frequently shields them from civil lawsuits for things they do in the course of their job. The report said that a sergeant with the Lonoke County sheriffs office who has been identified as Michael Davis conducted a traffic stop at Arkansas 89 and Tower Road when the decedent [Brittain] got out of the vehicle and got something out of the back before moving toward the sergeant, after which the sergeant fired his weapon. (AP) The results of the investigation into a Lonoke County deputy's deadly shooting of 17-year-old Hunter Brittain during a traffic stop have been handed over to prosecutors. "There's a lot of wrongful police and I'm not saying all police are bad because I have law enforcement in my family, but it's the ones, like this, that give them bad names and he needs to be held accountable for it," he said. On July 1, hours after Graham told the Democrat-Gazette that he planned to recuse himself, someone with the state police texted, Time for a call? Graham responded, Yes sir, anytime. Last week, Graham said it took time to figure out if he was going to recuse from the case. Michael Davis shot and killed 17-year-old Hunter Brittain has been released. The family of Mr Brittain, who dreamed of being a NASCAR racing driver, was heartbroken over the shooting and called for full transparency from the sheriffs department. Michael Davis guilty of negligent homicide in the fatal shooting of 17-year-old Hunter Brittain. According to the Lonoke County Sheriffs Office, Sergeant Michael Davis initiated the traffic stop at 3 a.m. on June 23. While it is difficult to wait for answers, it is important that the investigation that occurs is both fair and complete.. The issue of policing is not about Black and white, Reverend Al Sharpton said at a eulogy for Mr Brittain. Robert Newcomb, Daviss attorney, said he planned to challenge the standard jurors used to determine whether Davis was negligent. Davis said he gave commands to Brittain to show his hands that were ignored. attracted the attention of Black civil rights leaders. The coroners report does not specify how many times Brittain was shot but does list the immediate cause/manner of death as gunshot wound of neck and arm. The firearm was listed as a police-issued, semi-automatic pistol. Family members said Brittain was grabbing a container that held antifreeze to place behind the trucks wheel, to stop it rolling backward. Following Davis' sentence, his former boss, Sheriff Staley shared how tragic he thought the entire incident was and that he respects the jury's decision. The sheriff said he respected the jurys decision. (Photo courtesy of Arkansas State Police). Davis could be sentenced to up to 10 years in prison if found guilty. It was released after the March 18 closure of a trial in which Davis, 31, was convicted of misdemeanor negligent homicide in the death of the 17-year-old from McRae. On July 1, a little more than a week after the shooting, Chuck Graham, prosecuting attorney for the 23rd Judicial District, told the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette that he planned to file a motion for the assignment of a special prosecutor. Davis was fired by Lonoke County Sheriff John Staley a week after the shooting for breaking a department policy that requires deputies body cameras to be turned on before interactions with the public. "I was hoping for a not guilty verdict on both charges. At that point, that was within a couple days of the event.. The case made national headlines and gained the attention of civil-rights activists, including the Rev. Brittain was test-driving a pickup truck with his cousin that the two spent the night tinkering on at a local repair shop. Floyd died in May last year when a white Minneapolis police officer used his knee to pin the handcuffed Black mans neck to the ground. 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