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Stephon Clark: justice department opens civil rights inquiry into deadly police shooting
Source: The Guardian
Stephon Clark: justice department opens civil rights inquiry into deadly police shooting
California attorney general earlier announced he would not file criminal charges after Clark was shot at least seven times in his grandmother’s backyard
Gabrielle Canon in Oakland
Wed 6 Mar 2019 01.54 GMT
Federal prosecutors are opening a civil rights investigation into the shooting death of Stephon Clark, the unarmed 22-year-old who was gunned down in his grandmother’s backyard by police last March.
The announcement by the US attorney’s office and the FBI came hours after the California attorney general, Xavier Becerra, said he wouldnot file criminal charges against the two California police officers identified in the shooting.
“Now that both state and local authorities have completed their investigations into the shooting of Stephon Clark, the US Attorney’s Office and the FBI, in conjunction with the Civil Rights Division of the US Department of Justice, will examine whether the shooting involved violations of Mr Clark’s federal civil rights,” a statement by Sacramento police said. “That examination will involve a review of the substance and results of the state and local investigations, and any additional investigative steps, if warranted.”
Earlier in the day, Becerra had said that a year-long independent state department of justice investigation had found the officers, Terrence Mercadal and Jared Robinet, believed they were in danger when they shot Clark.
He added that Clark had committed several unlawful acts and had not followed officer commands after being confronted, saying that evidence showed “it was clear he had something in his hand”.
-snip-
California attorney general earlier announced he would not file criminal charges after Clark was shot at least seven times in his grandmother’s backyard
Gabrielle Canon in Oakland
Wed 6 Mar 2019 01.54 GMT
Federal prosecutors are opening a civil rights investigation into the shooting death of Stephon Clark, the unarmed 22-year-old who was gunned down in his grandmother’s backyard by police last March.
The announcement by the US attorney’s office and the FBI came hours after the California attorney general, Xavier Becerra, said he wouldnot file criminal charges against the two California police officers identified in the shooting.
“Now that both state and local authorities have completed their investigations into the shooting of Stephon Clark, the US Attorney’s Office and the FBI, in conjunction with the Civil Rights Division of the US Department of Justice, will examine whether the shooting involved violations of Mr Clark’s federal civil rights,” a statement by Sacramento police said. “That examination will involve a review of the substance and results of the state and local investigations, and any additional investigative steps, if warranted.”
Earlier in the day, Becerra had said that a year-long independent state department of justice investigation had found the officers, Terrence Mercadal and Jared Robinet, believed they were in danger when they shot Clark.
He added that Clark had committed several unlawful acts and had not followed officer commands after being confronted, saying that evidence showed “it was clear he had something in his hand”.
-snip-
Read more: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2019/mar/05/stephon-clark-police-shooting-no-charges-california