Davis and King have said that Brittain jumped out of the truck as soon as he stopped for Davis. 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. 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. She said that is easier for larger prosecuting offices to implement. What has been the reaction to the shooting? While it is difficult to wait for answers, it is important that the investigation that occurs is both fair and complete.. He later died at North Little Rock Hospital. The jury learned the character of Davis about how he is a volunteer firefighter, a father, and has a child on the way. The maximum jail term faced by Davis, a former sergeant with the Lonoke county sheriffs office, was one year. 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. While it is difficult to wait for answers, it is important that the investigation that occurs is both fair and complete.. Graham said hes sent the file to the state prosecutor coordinator since hes requested a special prosecutor to handle the case. The teen didnt respond to verbal commands given by the deputy, Necomb said. 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 . Michael Davis guilty of negligent homicide in the fatal shooting of 17-year-old Hunter Brittain. Didn't put the truck in park, nothing," Davis says. 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. Got a tip? He told the state police when he was interviewed by them that he shot one time and why. Scott Hundley said this is the beginning of what's going to be a long week for those close to Brittain. 1998 - 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. | All Rights Reserved. The family of Brittain has hired Devon Jacob and Benjamin Crump to represent them in the case. 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. I do all the on-call stuff, Graham said in a phone conversation last week. "[It's] going to cost him $15,000 to go home and be with his family, while we're at a loss. Davis was originally charged with felony manslaughter Sept. 17. 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. The document says what it says, Jacob said. 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 said he gave commands to Brittain to show his hands that were ignored. But if we segregate how we react, then were wrong.. The misdemeanor charge enables Davis to still be eligible to serve as a law enforcement officer. Davis is white. After a short break, open arguments started around 2:30 p.m. 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. Press J to jump to the feed. (Arkansas Democrat-Gazette/Thomas Metthe). 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. Jordan King was the passenger in the truck at the time of the shooting and was placed into custody by Davis and another unnamed deputy. The case attracted attention from national civil rights leaders better known for their work with Black Lives Matter. 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. The issue of policing is not about Black and white, Sharpton told a packed auditorium at Beebe High School, where Brittain was a rising senior. What happened to the officer who shot Hunter Brittain? Michael Davis shot and killed 17-year-old Hunter Brittain has been released. Attorney Ben Crump and Jacob were retained by Brittains family in the days after the shooting as the case received national attention. Your life had meaning, youre loved and your family will not stop advocating until we have justice for you, Hunter, he said. 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. Family members have said Brittain had been working on his trucks transmission and had been test driving it when he was pulled over. LITTLE ROCK, Ark. They always seem to have their body cameras off. Now that the trial has begun, Brittain's Aunt Mary Robertson is praying that that accountability happens in the coming days. Please read our Terms of Use or contact us. Davis turned himself inon Friday, Sept. 17, after the special prosecuting attorney issued an arrest warrant for manslaughter. Crump previously released a statement that Brittain was shot three times by Lonoke County sheriffs Sgt. I didnt hear it and it happened so fast.. The case has garnered national attention, as calls for police reform continue around the country in the wake of last summers widespread Black Lives Matter protests. Brittain made his way to the truck bed, where he grabbed a blue coolant jug. 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. 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. "Why'd he hop out of the truck and grab that? At times, prosecutors will recuse themselves and request a special prosecutor for cases involving law enforcement officers because of the relationship between the two bodies. The civil-rights attorneys also represented the family of George Floyd, who died in 2020 while in police custody in Minneapolis. Ive had him for the last five years of his life, his grandmother Rebecca Payne said after the killing. 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 mentioned Brittain's 'loud' and 'smoking' truck, along with their interaction happening 3 a.m. Crump and Jacob invoked other people killed by police, including Breonna Taylor, a Kentucky woman who was fatally shot during a botched police raid. While investigating the incident, Lonoke County Sheriff's Office discovered that Davis' body camera footage had only been turned on after Brittain had been shot. Hunter Brittain (left) and then-Sgt. There is no body camera footage of the incident, though the officer had a camera in his possession. (AP) The Rev. 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. 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. Moving forward, both Brittain's family and Michael Davis will be involved in separate civil lawsuits against the Lonoke County Sheriff's Office. Davis could be sentenced to up to 10 years in prison if found guilty. The only ones are at the very top and that's so the jury will not be able to hear anything going on outside. The Arkansas State Crime Laboratory cant publicly release the autopsy report because of Arkansas Code 1212-312, Director Kermit Channell said. Brittains family claim the teen had been working on his pickup, and that at the time of the shooting he was unarmed, with only a bottle of antifreeze in his hands. If convicted, he could face three to 10 years in prison. As Brittain did this, Davis shot one round at Brittain in his lower right neck. I cant speak to what different offices practice are. "I was hoping for a not guilty verdict on both charges. 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. (Tommy Metthe/The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette via AP), Connect with the definitive source for global and local news. Five minutes into Rice's video, someone notes that Brittain is still breathing. The jury finding Davis guilty of negligent homicide instead of manslaughter, is something that worried Payne, as it means Davis could go back to wearing a badge in the future. A cop shot and killed Hunter Brittain as the 17-year-old was trying to grab an antifreeze jug from his car. 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. Sharpton eulogized 17-year-old Hunter Brittain, who was shot and killed by a white Lonoke County sheriff's deputy, Sgt. No matter which side you looked at, it was a difficult week for everyone. Were ready to find out something. Lonoke County Sheriff John Staley last week fired Davis for not turning on his body camera until after he had shot Brittain. Davis said he shot Brittain once, after the teen exited his truck and. A jury found former Lonoke County Sgt. All rights reserved. I dont think he did anything that clearly prejudiced Davis rights in the case.. In an interview with investigators, 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. Authorities have released few details about the shooting. He is the first law enforcement officer to be convicted by an Arkansas jury for an on-duty shooting in recent history. But the passenger in the truck heard no verbal communication, only 1 shot. [DOCUMENT: Coroners report for Noah Hunter Brittain arkansasonline.com/coronerbrittain]. (Photo courtesy of Arkansas State Police). CPR is started almost immediately. I was working from home. The issue of policing is not about Black and white, Reverend Al Sharpton said at a eulogy for Mr Brittain. King was in the car with Brittain in the early morning hours of June 23, 2021. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. He was sentenced to one year of probation and 300 hours of community service. Honestly, I try to do the right thing. Newcomb, a Little Rock attorney who often represents police officers, requested a grievance hearing on behalf of Davis from Lonoke County. 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. King said he never heard any commands from Davis before the gunshot. 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He said he should refrain from talking about the case because special prosecutor Jeff Phillips, prosecuting attorney for the 5th Judicial District, was named July 12. Chuck. Text messages sent later that day and on June 28 were redacted by the state police agency. Brittain's family said he was working on his truck right before he drove it down the road and was pulled over by Davis. Who is Hunter Brittain, the 17-year-old killed by Arkansas police? Original reporting and incisive analysis, direct from the Guardian every morning, A memorial for Hunter Brittain in Beebe, Arkansas last year. (AP) The results of the investigation into a Lonoke County deputys deadly shooting of 17-year-old Hunter Brittain during a traffic stop have been handed over to prosecutors. 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. 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. The only thing that bothered me is that they checked with Graham and they wouldnt let us look at the video, Newcomb said. Neither these AP materials nor any portion thereof may be stored in a computer except for personal and noncommercial use. Well, wonder no more! 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. Brittain had been fatally shot by a Lonoke County sheriff's deputy during a traffic stop early that morning. Taped interviews with Staley and Davis were still being redacted by the state police as of Friday and will be released at a later date. "What the jury said is that a law enforcement officer in uniform committed a crime, and the jury has said that Hunter Brittain was unlawfully killed by Michael Davis. Get the Android Weather app from Google Play, Rison hit by Wednesday night storm damage, Arkansas state legislators hit the court in Hoops, Growing old and hungry: Shelbys Pantry in Carlisle, Arkansas LEARNS Act passes through House Education, Windshield covers and other handy gear you need for, 18 trendy cowboy boots to wear this winter, 18 books youll want to read on Dr. Seuss Day, AR legislators play in charity basketball game, AR pantry helps to end hunger in elderly community, LEARNS Act passes through House Ed. 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. Its about right and wrong.. The jury was asked a series of questions related to law enforcement and their opinions. According to his family members, he went to place a large blue plastic bottle. The jury handed down a one-year jail sentence and a $1,000 fine -- the maximum penalty for the charge -- after finding Davis guilty. Davis said all of these things were the reason he felt afraid for his life and thought Brittain "was going to kill him.". He has not responded to numerous emails requesting updates on the investigation, including a message sent Wednesday. Jordan King told police that the two had been working on the truck's transmission all night and were test driving it. 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 did not report at the time that he was in pursuit because he realized the truck was attempting to turn left into the body shop. I didn't say he was a mean guy. On June 23, 2021, 17-year-old Hunter Brittain was test driving his truck after making repairs early in the morning when he was pulled over by former Lonoke County Sgt. Are people going to have to fear for their lives again? she told reporters. 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. It's been nine months of fighting and trying to make their voices heard by many, according to Hundley. 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. When asked what that might include, he said, Not much for the state police. "I didn't say that this defendant was a bad guy. 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. Heres what you need to know. Neither these AP materials nor any portion thereof may be stored in a computer except for personal and noncommercial use. They didnt say one word that I know of, he told KATV. State Police say Hunter Britain, 17 was shot and killed by Sergeant Michael Davis. The first witness called to the stand by the prosecution team was 16-year-old Jordan King. Davis testified that he thought the teen was grabbing for a gun. 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. Davis, Newcomb said. 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