Copyright 2023, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, Inc. Davis turned himself inon Friday, Sept. 17, after the special prosecuting attorney issued an arrest warrant for manslaughter. It's a case that's gained national attention and one that has greatly impacted the community of Lonoke and across Arkansas. One bullet can go through and cause injury in more than one location, Newcomb said. The biggest thing about his testimony was that he said he never heard Davis give any verbal cues until after Brittain was shot. 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. What were the ramification to the LEO that decided to break their oath?? The car, which had transmission issues, began smoking and was pulled over by Davis as it neared the repair shop. Brittains family has said the teenager was unarmed and was holding a jug of antifreeze when he was shot. 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. "I don't think it's fair. The sheriff said he respected the jurys decision. Hunter Brittain (left) and then-Sgt. According to the Lonoke County Sheriffs Office, Sergeant Michael Davis initiated the traffic stop at 3 a.m. on June 23. He told the state police when he was interviewed by them that he shot one time and why. On July 1, over a week after Brittain's death, Lonoke County Sheriff John Staley announced through a Facebook video Thursday that former Sergeant Mike Davis was fired due to policy violations. Once he gets back? 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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. 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. Once it happened to my sons best friend, I said it could happen to my son so it was too close to home to not do anything about it., Dozens of people gathered outside the sheriffs office after the memorial service for a rally with Brittains family, attorneys and the NAACP. 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. 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. On June 23, Hunter's life was cut short when a Lonoke County sheriff's deputy fatally shot him during a traffic stop. Newcomb, a Little Rock attorney who often represents police officers, requested a grievance hearing on behalf of Davis from Lonoke County. The Lonoke County prosecutors office had contact with the Arkansas State Police before and after recusing itself because of an unavoidable conflict in the investigation into the fatal shooting June 23 of 17-year-old Hunter Brittain by a sheriffs deputy. Phillips received the investigative file on July 15, according to an email from the prosecutor coordinating office. All I wanted from day one is for him to get a felony where he could not be in law enforcement again and carry a weapon. I'll say I'm not necessarily surprised by that burden," he said. As mourners filed into the high school auditorium Tuesday morning, photos and video of Brittain were displayed on a large screen above his casket, which was decorated with blue and white ribbons, the Chevrolet symbol and Forever Chevy 17. Family members said Brittain dreamed of becoming a NASCAR driver after graduation. But if we segregate how we react, then were wrong.. The case made national headlines and gained the attention of civil-rights activists, including the Rev. The only thing that bothered me is that they checked with Graham and they wouldnt let us look at the video, Newcomb said. King was in the car with Brittain in the early morning hours of June 23, 2021. Because of the great public interest in this case, the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette has made the video available, but with two alterations: The view of the victims body has been blurred by our staff out of sensitivity, and the video, which is nearly 19 minutes long, has been shortened to about 15 1/2 minutes to eliminate portions that had no audio or meaningful video. 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. 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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.. All rights reserved. Davis claimed he didn't realize he didn't turn on his body camera until after the shots were fired. Michael Davis after Brittain exited his truck to put a blue plastic bottle of antifreeze behind a wheel because the vehicle wouldnt shift into park. Neither Brittains nor Davis attorneys are supportive of Grahams decision to withhold body-camera footage. The next day, the Arkansas State Police passed the investigation file to Grahams office. Davis, Newcomb said. (AP) The Rev. It was emotional for witnesses and Brittain's family, many of them had to step out of the courtroom. Its time they start letting us know something., Community members also rallied behind the Brittain family, demanding Justice for Hunter.. You could always say Mr. Graham should have stepped away immediately but that is hindsight, Newcomb said. 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. They think that it is not appropriate for anybody who has a conflict of interest to weigh in and deny them due process of a fair and impartial and completely independent investigation as to what happened to their child. Newcomb said he wasnt concerned with the file being passed to Graham. [DOCUMENT: Coroners report for Noah Hunter Brittain arkansasonline.com/coronerbrittain]. Because he is not here, we all have to unite together and make sure people all over America know that we will get justice for Hunter Brittain, Crump said. The case attracted attention from national civil rights leaders better known for their work with Black Lives Matter. What happened the night Hunter Brittain died? State Police say Hunter Britain, 17 was shot and killed by Sergeant Michael Davis. He has not responded to numerous emails requesting updates on the investigation, including a message sent Wednesday. BEEBE, Ark. Attorneys Ben Crump and Devon Jacob, representing Brittains family, criticized the sheriff for not firing Davis over the shooting itself. As Brittain did this, Davis shot one round at Brittain in his lower right neck. (Arkansas Democrat-Gazette/Thomas Metthe). 1, we dont have situations like this very often, he said. Robert Newcomb, Daviss attorney, said he planned to challenge the standard jurors used to determine whether Davis was negligent. Its about right and wrong.. The trial for a former Lonoke County Sheriff's Deputy accused of killing an unarmed teenager during a traffic stop happened this week. Al Sharpton gave a eulogy asking for the public to come together to help push for policing reforms. The only one who has been accurate on that is Sgt. (NWA Media). Closing arguments lasted a little over an hour. Material from the Associated Press is Copyright 2023, Associated Press and may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. 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. Melissia McMahan, who is the Brittain familys mail carrier and knew the teen since he was a toddler, said she had thought about the need for police reform before Brittains death but hadnt thought it was something her own community would face. Suspect in shooting of Springdale woman shot by officer after pointing gun at police, Communication program for people with nonverbal autistm coming to Fort Smith, Heavy rain and storms likely to increase Thursday across Arkansas, Storm warning fatigue | Alerting Arkansas. In an interview with Davis, he said he initiated the traffic stop of Brittain's white GMC truck and heard "the truck's engine rev up and then began to travel southbound in the northbound lane." He took a life.. The jury learned the character of Davis about how he is a volunteer firefighter, a father, and has a child on the way. "Now, what's gonna happen? That is why it is very crucial for prosecutors to be as clear and transparent as they can be. James Golden, a professor of criminal justice at the School of Criminal Justice and Criminology at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, echoed Marque Heydaris comments. Multiple Brittain family members rushed from the room as graphic images of the 17-year-old played out on a screen. He later died at North Little Rock Hospital. 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 report from the Pulaski County coroner said the initial 911 call came in at 3:08 a.m. on June 23 and Brittain was pronounced dead around 3:58 a.m. by an attending physician at Baptist Health Medical Center in North Little Rock. This document may not be reprinted without the express written permission of Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, Inc. Material from the Associated Press is Copyright 2023, Associated Press and may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Its about right and wrong.. A jury found former Lonoke County Sgt. I cant speak to what different offices practice are. Both were lawyers in George Floyd's murder case. 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. They added that cops are taught "hands kill" and if you can't see the persons hands, it could be a problem. Davis was sentenced to 1-year in jail plus a $1,000 fine. Shortly after the shooting, Davis was fired by the Lonoke County Sheriffs Office for breaking their body-camera policy. Sheriff John Staley said that Davis had not turned on his body camera at the start of the traffic stop and only activated the device after the shooting had happened. 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. The Lonoke County sheriff's deputy opened fire on Hunter Britain, 17, after he.
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