In July, Phillips, a prosecutor from a district on the other side of the state, was assigned to handle the case. What happened the night Hunter Brittain died? The former deputy said Brittain wasn't listening and his hands were in the back of the truck and that's when Davis fired at Brittain. The video was first seen by the public during the first day of Davis' trial. "[It's] going to cost him $15,000 to go home and be with his family, while we're at a loss. Sharpton eulogized 17-year-old Hunter Brittain, who was shot and killed by a white Lonoke County sheriffs deputy, Sgt. The Brittain family is being represented by Ben Crump, the same civil rights lawyer who represented George Floyd, a Black man murdered by a former Minneapolis police officer last summer. 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 . Jordan King told police that the two had been working on the truck's transmission all night and were test driving it. Press J to jump to the feed. Im not sure we could set a policy at the national level that could cover all circumstances. Prosecutors are held accountable by elections, Golden said. Brittain was test-driving a pickup truck with his cousin that the two spent the night tinkering on at a local repair shop. 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.. The county has not decided whether to grant the hearing, County Attorney Allen Dodson said Wednesday. Neither Brittains nor Davis attorneys are supportive of Grahams decision to withhold body-camera footage. Rebecca Payne, Brittains grandmother, said family members wanted the deputy convicted of the felony to ensure he could not serve as an officer again. The issue of policing is not about Black and white, Reverend Al Sharpton said at a eulogy for Mr Brittain. Hunters family is already distrustful because they havent gotten any answers whatsoever, Crump said. Family members said Brittain was grabbing a container that held antifreeze to place behind the trucks wheel, to stop it rolling backward. Rice's camera moves at about 19 minutes into his video, and Brittain is no longer on the ground. Copyright 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. Brittain's family retained civil-rights attorneys Benjamin Crump and Devon Jacob soon after the shooting to handle the teen's estate and any civil suits. Brittain turned into a lot off the highway and jumped out of the vehicle, which was rolling backward, Newcomb said Wednesday. Who is Hunter Brittain, the 17-year-old killed by Arkansas police? Your life had meaning, youre loved and your family will not stop advocating until we have justice for you, Hunter, his uncle Jesse said at his eulogy. Newcomb has said Brittain was pulled over by Davis because his vehicle was smoking heavily and an engine was knocking. Even though it's not the ending he wanted, defense attorney Robert Newcomb said juries often go with the lesser charge. They should have no interaction with police officers because that can create a sense of bias, Marque Heydari said. Newcomb has said Brittain was pulled over by Davis because his vehicle was smoking heavily and an engine was knocking. (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. Family members have said Brittain had been working on his trucks transmission and had been test driving it when he was pulled over. Unfortunately no one was ever trained on what the "if possible" meant. Both were lawyers in George Floyd's murder case. It's not that this isn't a shocking and tragic. If convicted of manslaughter, Davis could be sentenced to a maximum of 10 years in prison. We definitely have been trying to come up with a way, when a citizen dies by law enforcement, for there to be an additional route to investigate that, that doesnt involve any of the agencies that work with the officers, Abdul-Bey said. 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. (Photo courtesy of Arkansas State Police). Ben Crump, who represented Brittains family said: Hunter deserved better.. The maximum jail term faced by Davis, a former sergeant with the Lonoke county sheriffs office, was one year. The car, which had transmission issues, began smoking and was pulled over by Davis as it neared the repair shop. The biggest thing about his testimony was that he said he never heard Davis give any verbal cues until after Brittain was shot. About 9:45 into the video, another officer comes up to Davis and says, "Buddy, I'm going to put my gun in your holster.". Few details about the shooting have been officially released over the past two months. I respect the decision of the jury. During the trial, King told the jury that Brittain had been working on replacing his transmission all night. Now that the trial has begun, Brittain's Aunt Mary Robertson is praying that that accountability happens in the coming days. Davis, who was originally charged with felony manslaughter, fatally shot Brittain who was test-driving his truck after working on it all night. On June 23, Hunter's life was cut short when a Lonoke County sheriff's deputy fatally shot him during a traffic stop. King, 16 at the time, said the teens had previously used a coolant container to stop the truck from rolling back. The two government bodies work separately but lean on each other to take criminal cases to fruition. Well, wonder no more! 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. Davis testified that he thought the teen was grabbing for a gun. According to family members, Brittain had been working on the vehicles transmission and was taking a test drive when he was stopped by Davis. 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. Hunter Brittain (left) and then-Sgt. A jury found former Lonoke County Sgt. I didn't say he was a mean guy. Moving forward, both Brittain's family and Michael Davis will be involved in separate civil lawsuits against the Lonoke County Sheriff's Office. Five minutes into Rice's video, someone notes that Brittain is still breathing. Example video title will go here for this video. The vehicle was smoking and making loud noises, Davis and King have said. Al Sharpton and attorneys for George Floyds family on Tuesday mourned a white Arkansas teenager fatally shot by a sheriffs deputy, as they urged support across racial lines for efforts to reform police practices. "Although Mr. Davis no longer works for my office, Ive been following this case closely. "Now, what's gonna happen? The people of this county are good, decent people and they, like me, want to see accountability and transparency in this situation, Staley wrote on the offices Facebook page. Create an account to follow your favorite communities and start taking part in conversations. The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette and other media outlets have requested footage of the shooting for the past nine months, since the incident happened. What happened to the officer who shot Hunter Brittain? 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. Videos from body cameras show moments after deputy fired fatal shot, The Arkansas State Police released video Friday from the body camera of former Lonoke County Deputy Michael Davis, taken the night 17-year-old Hunter Brittain was fatally shot during a traffic stop near Cabot. Once he gets back? Minutes after the shooting, a third deputy starts to console Davis while still at the scene. According to an affidavit read by Phillips at a press conference, Brittain was test-driving a pickup truck with his cousin that the two spent the night tinkering on at a local repair shop. The young man jumped out and ran to the back of the car and stuck his hands into the back of the vehicle and still wasnt responding to any verbal commands, Newcomb said. While everyone in the makeshift courtroom in Cabot was quiet when they heard the decision, they said a lot to once they exited the doors. 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. He took the vehicle for a test drive down Highway 89, outside of the city of Cabot, Arkansas, and was pulled over as the car began to smoke and cause a racket. The last witness called in by prosecution was Davis' former boss, Sheriff John Staley, who told the jury that Davis had issues with turning on his body camera in the past. It was unclear what impact Sharptons and the attorneys calls for action would have in Lonoke County, a rural county of 73,000 people that is 90% white. Hunter's Uncle, Jesse Brittain, said all they wanted was acknowledgment and an apology. Davis said he could not see the 17-year-old's hands before shooting. What has been the reaction to the shooting? Attorney Ben Crump and Jacob were retained by Brittains family in the days after the shooting as the case received national attention. Arkansas State Police are investigating Brittains death. His press conference on Friday was brief and he refused to take questions. The car, which had transmission issues, began smoking and was pulled over by Davis as it neared the repair shop. He said he never heard any verbal cues from Davis until after the shots were fired. According to a statement previously released by the Brittain familys attorney, the teen exited his truck to place a blue plastic bottle of antifreeze behind a wheel because the vehicle wouldnt shift into park. Brittain was shot by a Lonoke County Sheriff's Deputy during a traffic stop on June 23. No. The judge added that no one can wear t-shirts or have any signs on their cars starting on Tuesday, March 15, when jury selection begins at 9 a.m. Tuesday, March 15, started with jury selection, which took about four hours. He's still driving on his way to the scene. Davis then moves to sit in another vehicle by himself. There are no cameras allowed inside the courtroom and that's how it's going to be for the remainder of the week and for the rest of this trial. There were no indications of drug and alcohol use listed on the coroners report. Michael Davis of the Lonoke County sheriff's office are shown in this undated combination of courtesy photos. 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. Davis was sentenced to 1-year in jail plus a $1,000 fine. While the verdict isn't something they agree with, the Brittain family said they do accept it. He was sentenced to one year of probation and 300 hours of community service. When asked what that might include, he said, Not much for the state police. Davis was fired by the Lonoke county sheriff, John Staley, for not turning on his body camera until after shooting Brittain. Without all the evidence I cannot make any determination on whether the shooting was proper.. King responds that the truck wouldn't shift into park. Attorneys Ben Crump and Devon Jacob, representing Brittains family, criticized the sheriff for not firing Davis over the shooting itself. Both are representing Brittains family. Rev. Its about right and wrong.. When buying cowboy boots, there are a few aspects to consider, such as how far up they go on your legs and their design. Send it to The Daily Beasthere. The following day on March 18, the jury found Michael Davis guilty of negligent homicide in the fatal shooting of Hunter Brittain after 2.5 hours of deliberation. 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. LITTLE ROCK, Ark. The family is going to continue to trust the process, Jacob said. He remains free on bond pending appeal. Davis said he gave commands to Brittain to show his hands that were ignored. Newcomb, a Little Rock attorney who often represents police officers, requested a grievance hearing on behalf of Davis from Lonoke County. But if we segregate how we react, then were wrong.. He has not responded to numerous emails requesting updates on the investigation, including a message sent Wednesday. Copyright 2023, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, Inc. Were going to take this and see what else [the special prosecutor in the case] has got to say and hopefully this will stick. This document may not be reprinted without the express written permission of Northwest Arkansas Newspapers LLC. The document says what it says, Jacob said. As Brittain did this, Davis shot one round at Brittain in his lower right neck. Closing arguments lasted a little over an hour. The two conflicting narratives were hampered by the fact that Davis body camera was never turned on during the quick encounter. It soon shows Davis telling another deputy, Nathaniel Rice, "The guy jumped out of the f****** truck and grabbed something out of the back, and it was a f****** oil can. Davis told authorities he gave "several commands" to Brittain to get back in his car and to show his hands as Brittain reached with both hands into the bed of the truck when he fired his weapon. Copyright 2023, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, Inc. The family of Brittain has hired Devon Jacob and Benjamin Crump to represent them in the case. One of their witnesses included a law enforcement officer who has trained many officers of when to use deadly force. 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. 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 traffic stop. How much help are American volunteers in Ukraine? 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. We hope that the jury can see the things that we see," she said. There were no indications of drug and alcohol use listed on the coroners report. It wont require a recusal, Abdul-Bey said. 1, we dont have situations like this very often, he said. Notifications can be turned off anytime in the browser settings. 1998 - 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. | All Rights Reserved. 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. It's a case that's gained national attention and one that has greatly impacted the community of Lonoke and across Arkansas. If there is a conflict of interest that exists and you are aware of that conflict of interest and you participate then it certainly would appear to the public that there is a hint of impropriety, Crump said. I cant speak to what different offices practice are. Even before the memorial service, Brittains friends and family were calling for change at the state level with petitions urging the Legislature to require officers to wear body cameras that would be turned on as soon as their shift begins. 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.. CPR is started almost immediately. btw before the traffic stop, the officer turned off his body-cam, then turned it on after the shooting which is against department policy. But even after the verdict, the Brittain family said this isn't the end of them telling Hunter's story. King was in the car with Brittain in the early morning hours of June 23, 2021. Scott Hundley said this is the beginning of what's going to be a long week for those close to Brittain. 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. Al Sharpton gave a eulogy asking for the public to come together to help push for policing reforms. Davis claimed in that interview that he shouted at Brittain to "show me our hands." I dont want to jeopardize this case, its too important, he said. 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. Neither these AP materials nor any portion thereof may be stored in a computer except for personal and noncommercial use. Brittain was eulogized last year by the civil rights leader the Rev Al Sharpton, who said the death highlighted the need for interracial support for changes in policing. He also got emotional multiple times during his testimony. Hunter Brittain, the 17-year-old killed by a Lonoke County sheriff's deputy in June, died of gunshot wounds in his neck and arm, according to a coroner's report released Wednesday. This is something, Jesse Brittain, the boys uncle, told CBS News. "It's going to be hard, it's been hard, it's been hard since June," he said. Sharpton eulogized 17-year-old Hunter Brittain, who was shot and killed by a white Lonoke County sheriff's deputy, Sgt. The family is going to continue to trust the process, Jacob said. There's no way around it and nobody's gonna change my mind about it," he said. When Brittain was about to remove his hands from the back of the truck, Davis said he shot once before he could see what Brittain was holding. 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