Bodycam footage of an Arkansas deputy responding to the scene after former Sgt. Were ready to find out something. Davis mentioned Brittain's 'loud' and 'smoking' truck, along with their interaction happening 3 a.m. If convicted of manslaughter, Davis could be sentenced to a maximum of 10 years in prison. Brittain turned into a nearby parking lot and jumped out of the backward moving vehicle and reached into the back of the truck, he said. Special prosecutors, who dont have connections to the police agency, are then appointed by the Arkansas prosecutor coordinator, Bob McMahan. They didnt say one word that I know of, he told KATV. Hunter Brittain, the 17-year-old killed by a Lonoke County sheriffs deputy in June, died of gunshot wounds in his neck and arm, according to a coroners report released Wednesday. The jury handed down a one-year jail sentence and a $1,000 fine -- the maximum penalty for the charge -- after finding Davis guilty. He said each prosecutors office has to make its own determination on how to handle police shootings. 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! Davis was fired by the Lonoke county sheriff, John Staley, for not turning on his body camera until after shooting Brittain. Phillips was passed the investigative file by the coordinating office July 15, according to an email from McMahan. That's all I asked for," Rebecca Payne, Brittain's grandma, said. He also shared what made him fear for his life, which consequently made him fire his gun. King responds that the truck wouldn't shift into park. A former Arkansas deputy was convicted on Friday of negligent homicide and sentenced to a year in jail for shooting an unarmed teenager whose death last year drew the attention of national civil rights leaders. Were going to take this and see what else [the special prosecutor in the case] has got to say and hopefully this will stick. "I didn't say that this defendant was a bad guy. Attorney Ben Crump and Jacob were retained by Brittains family in the days after the shooting as the case received national attention. King said he never heard any commands from Davis before the gunshot. Jordan King told police that the two had been working on the truck's transmission all night and were test driving it. Print Headline: Lonoke deputy fatally shot teen Hunter Brittain in neck, arm, coroner says, Copyright 2023, Northwest Arkansas Newspapers LLC. 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. Davis told investigators he shot Brittain once in the neck after the teen exited his truck and reached into the bed of the pickup while failing to comply with commands to show his hands, according to the arrest affidavit. Are people going to have to fear for their lives again? she told reporters. Davis said all of these things were the reason he felt afraid for his life and thought Brittain "was going to kill him.". The Lonoke County sheriff's deputy opened fire on Hunter Britain, 17, after he. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Investigators found no firearms in or near the truck. 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. Chances are you haven't yet heard about 17-year-old Hunter Brittain who, despite being unarmed, was shot dead by police during a traffic stop. All rights reserved. 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. 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. 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. Davis said he shot Brittain once, after the teen exited his truck and. A special prosecutor announced the felony charge against Michael Davis, a former sergeant with the Lonoke County Sheriff's Office, in the fatal shooting of 17-year-old Hunter Brittain. Davis shot Brittain once while Brittain's hands were still in the truck bed, according to Davis' statement to state police investigators and his testimony while on the stand. An Arkansas sheriff's deputy shot and killed a teenager after a traffic stop early Wednesday, officials said. But if we segregate how we react, then were wrong.. 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. He claimed in documents filed in Lonoke County Circuit Court that Davis has had a very close working relationship with most members of the prosecutors office and has recently testified for the state in at least one jury trial. The motion was granted by 1st Division Circuit Judge Barbara Elmore the same day. ", Davis then starts yelling at a passenger, Jordan King, "What are y'all driving the vehicle like that?". 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. [DOCUMENT: Coroners report for Noah Hunter Brittain arkansasonline.com/coronerbrittain]. No matter which side you looked at, it was a difficult week for everyone. But even after the verdict, the Brittain family said this isn't the end of them telling Hunter's story. The case made national headlines and gained the attention of civil-rights activists, including the Rev. Brittains family and friends have held protests nightly outside the Lonoke County sheriffs office and have complained about the lack of information released. Crump and Jacob invoked other people killed by police, including Breonna Taylor, a Kentucky woman who was fatally shot during a botched police raid. In June, at 3 a.m. on a dark stretch of a highway in rural Arkansas, 17-year-old Hunter Brittain was shot and killed by a sergeant from the Lonoke County Sheriff's Office. Copyright 2023, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, Inc. Are people gonna have to fear for their life again? 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. The teen didnt respond to verbal commands given by the deputy, Necomb said. Davis said that before he could put his own car in park, Brittain jumped out and moved to the rear of the truck and began reaching into the bed as it slowly rolled backward. Details about when the camera was activated and what footage was captured arent publicly known because Freedom of Information Act requests for the footage have been denied. Davis was fired from the Lonoke County sheriff's office on July 1 after Sheriff John Staley said Davis violated policy by not turning on his camera prior to encountering Brittain. Davis said he could not see the 17-year-old's hands before shooting. The trial is taking place at the Cabot Readiness Center, where it was moved from the Lonoke County courthouse, mainly due to the fact that there are not a lot of windows inside the courtroom. Davis is white. The two conflicting narratives were hampered by the fact that Davis body camera was never turned on during the quick encounter. The jurys decision is a declaration that an Arkansas law enforcement officer, in full uniform, unlawfully killed Hunter Brittain, the attorneys said. Family members said Brittain was grabbing a container that held antifreeze to place behind the trucks wheel, to stop it rolling backward. Its about right and wrong.. Davis attorney, Robert Newcomb, said the report throws doubt on earlier statements from Brittains family members and their attorneys that the teen was shot three times. Newcomb has said Brittain was pulled over by Davis because his vehicle was smoking heavily and an engine was knocking. Former Arkansas deputy Michael Davis was found guilty of negligent homicide in the shooting death of 17-year-old Hunter Brittain. 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. Michael Davis near Cabot, Arkansas, United States. I cant speak to what different offices practice are. The prosecution told the jury to look at the evidence--if Davis was able to say, which he testified that he did, "show me your hands" and "get back in the vehicle," then he enough time to tell Brittain, "I am going to shoot you.". Copyright 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. During his instruction it states that you must tell the subject you are going to shoot them before "if possible." How much help are American volunteers in Ukraine? If convicted, he could face three to 10 years in prison. He said he never heard any verbal cues from Davis until after the shots were fired. 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. The killing in the predominantly white community has drawn the attention of national civil rights activists such as Sharpton, who said concerns about police tactics arent just limited to the Black community. The report was first requested by the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette on July 8. The family is going to continue to trust the process, Jacob said. Brittain was up late working on the vehicles transmission before taking the test drive, family members have said. 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. This is my opinion. Crump said a proposed bill that is being referred to as Hunters Law would include a mandate that body cameras be active during interactions between police and civilians and that those videos be released immediately to the public. (Photo courtesy of Arkansas State Police). 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. The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette and other media outlets have requested footage of the shooting for the past nine months, since the incident happened. The police officer has a lot more situational awareness of a danger than maybe you or I would be aware of, Newcomb said. They know exactly what they are doing. A Freedom of Information Act request for communication between Graham and the Arkansas State Police shows there was some contact between the two agencies between the time of the shooting and Grahams recusal. The case attracted attention from national civil rights leaders better known for their work with Black Lives Matter. "[It's] going to cost him $15,000 to go home and be with his family, while we're at a loss. LITTLE ROCK, Ark. A video from Rice, who arrived within minutes of the shooting, shows King on the ground in cuffs as Davis yells. Davis could be sentenced to up to 10 years in prison if found guilty. Scott Hundley said this is the beginning of what's going to be a long week for those close to Brittain. While it is difficult to wait for answers, it is important that the investigation that occurs is both fair and complete.. Didn't put the truck in park, nothing," Davis says. 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. Family and friends of 17-year-old Hunter Brittain, including his uncle, Harley Brittain (left), hold a rally outside the Lonoke County sheriff's office in Lonoke in this June 23, 2021, file. He has not responded to numerous emails requesting updates on the investigation, including a message sent Wednesday. 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. After the verdict was announced, Brittains family and friends chanted Justice for Hunter outside the national guard facility used for the trial. Arkansas State Police are investigating Brittains death. 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. He also pointed out that Brittain didn't listen to his commands and that he unable to see both of Brittain's hands in the bed of the truck. The memorial included calls to pass federal legislation in Floyds name to overhaul police practices. He was my grandson. 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. After another pre-trial hearing on March 14, the trial will officially begin on March 15. Davis claimed he didn't realize he didn't turn on his body camera until after the shots were fired. Brittain was up late working on the vehicles transmission before taking the test drive, family members have said. One of their witnesses included a law enforcement officer who has trained many officers of when to use deadly force. Some of Brittains family members have said a witness to the shooting claims Davis didnt offer verbal commands before the shooting. It also attracted the attention of Black civil rights leaders like attorney Benjamin Crump, who is representing Brittains family, and has stood alongside them as theyve called for justice. One bullet can go through and cause injury in more than one location, Newcomb said. 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. The county has not decided whether to grant the hearing, County Attorney Allen Dodson said Wednesday. Michael Davis guilty of negligent homicide in the fatal shooting of 17-year-old Hunter Brittain. 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. Graham said hes sent the file to the state prosecutor coordinator since hes requested a special prosecutor to handle the case. During a public memorial for Brittain earlier this week, Rev. Davis,. It has been called Dr. Seuss Day because of this. Sharpton eulogized 17-year-old Hunter Brittain, who was shot and killed by a white Lonoke County sheriffs deputy, Sgt. Davis attorney, Robert Newcomb, previously told The Daily Beast that Davis feared the worst when Brittain hopped out and reached into the bed of his truck. 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