Four officer-involved shootings were justified, attorney general’s office says
By Mina Corpuz | Originally published by Mississippi Today
The Mississippi Attorney General’s Office determined Monday that law enforcement were justified in their use of force in four shootings that killed one person and a police dog and injured three.
Under state law, the Mississippi Bureau of Investigation handles fatal and nonfatal officer-involved shooting investigations. It shares findings with the Attorney General Lynn Fitch’s office, which presents them to a grand jury that decides whether to issue an indictment for criminal charges. If the grand jury issues an indictment, the attorney general’s office prosecutes the case.
This isn’t the first time the attorney general’s office has cleared officers’ use of force and declined to prosecute.
Fitch’s office, which has exclusive responsibility to prosecute law enforcement-involved shootings, has rarely taken one to trial.
A review by Mississippi Today found that the attorney general’s office declined to prosecute and cleared law enforcement officers’ use of force in a third of all cases it resolved between 2023 and 2024.
A grand jury has not always issued an indictment in cases presented by Fitch’s office. One of the most recent indictments her office secured is that of a Laurel police officer who is accused of shooting a minor in 2023.
The attorney general’s office is also handling the prosecution of former Capitol Police officers Michael Rhinewalt and Jeffery Walker. They have been charged with aggravated assault for a 2022 shooting stemming from a traffic stop.
Fitch’s office originally handled another Capitol Police shooting case, that of Stephen Frederick and Rhinewalt, who have been indicted for the 2022 manslaughter shooting death of Jaylen Lewis following a traffic stop. Hinds County Circuit Judge Adrienne Wooten ordered the attorney general’s office to appoint a special prosecutor in the case because it was defending Rhinewalt in a federal civil lawsuit in Lewis’ death, creating conflict.
Here is a look at the recent cases the attorney general’s office reviewed:
Ridgeland, Dec. 31, 2024
Officers from the Ridgeland Police Department surveilled a vehicle at Renaissance Colony Park, and a detective tried to approach the car. According to the Mississippi Department of Public Safety, the 16-year-old operating the car drove toward the officer, which prompted the officer to fire, injuring the teen. The teen led officers on a brief pursuit on Interstate 220 in Jackson before stopping. The 16-year-old was injured.
Jackson, Oct. 15, 2024
A Jackson Police Department officer responded to a call on I-220 where shots were fired and hit a car. Upon arrival, officers talked with the driver of the damaged car and saw a person trying to flee, according to DPS. The man, later identified as Anthony Johnson, ran onto McCain Avenue and pointed a weapon. The officer shot him. A week later, Johnson was charged with two counts of aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer and possession of a stolen vehicle.
Lake Cormorant, Feb. 21, 2024
Deputies with the DeSoto County Sheriff’s Department pursued a vehicle and initiated a maneuver to stop the car. A police dog was released, and the driver shot a gun, wounding the animal. Deputies fired at the man, killing him, according to DPS. The subject was later identified as 38-year-old Jamarcus Brown. K9 Luca received serious injuries and died at a veterinary hospital.
Jackson, July 9, 2022
A Jackson police officer shot at a person on Old Canton Road, injuring the suspect. Limited information is available about the shooting.
This article was originally published by Mississippi Today and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.
Source: Original Article
