Shortly after the shooting, Davis was fired by the Lonoke County Sheriffs Office for breaking their body-camera policy. Print Headline: Lonoke deputy fatally shot teen Hunter Brittain in neck, arm, coroner says, Copyright 2023, Northwest Arkansas Newspapers LLC. Few details about the shooting have been officially released over the past two months. 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. On Sept. 20, Davis was released on a $15,000 bond. 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. 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. This is the ideal, Marque Heydari said. "We're glad that we're finally at this point. An Arkansas sheriff's deputy shot and killed a teenager after a traffic stop early Wednesday, officials said. Rev. 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. Copyright 2023, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, Inc. Davis,. 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. I cant speak to what different offices practice are. Davis said he gave commands to Brittain to show his hands that were ignored. I just said that he was a good guy that made a really horrible decision and choice and so that makes it even worse," Prosecuting attorney, Jeff Phillips said. Send it to The Daily Beasthere. He later died at North Little Rock Hospital. Once he gets back? 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. There were no indications of drug and alcohol use listed on the coroners report. Devon Jacob, Brittains familys attorney, described the report as unclear. A passenger and another witness testified they never heard Davis tell the teen to show his hands. 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. While the verdict isn't something they agree with, the Brittain family said they do accept it. The day ended with the body camera footage and testimony will resume on Wednesday, March 16, at 9 a.m. During the second day of the trial, the jury watched Davis' recorded interview with state police which was conducted five days after the shooting. The report was first requested by the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette on July 8. But King said Davis never gave any commands to Brittain before he shot him. 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. Attorneys Ben Crump and Devon Jacob, representing Brittains family, criticized the sheriff for not firing Davis over the shooting itself. The family of Brittain has hired Devon Jacob and Benjamin Crump to represent them in the case. Robert Newcomb, Daviss attorney, said he planned to challenge the standard jurors used to determine whether Davis was negligent. A key piece to the kit involves prosecutors clearly outlining decisions for the public. 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. Davis, Newcomb said. Davis claimed he didn't realize he didn't turn on his body camera until after the shots were fired. Davis retained Arkansas attorney Robert Newcomb after being fired for what Sheriff John Staley described as a policy violation for failure to turn on his body camera in a timely manner. As Brittain did this, Davis shot one round at Brittain in his lower right neck. The report was first requested by the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette on July 8. State Police say Hunter Britain, 17 was shot and killed by Sergeant Michael Davis. Call if you have any questions. Graham sent a text the next day to an unknown person in the police agency saying, Ive got you in my phone, call me anytime. While it is difficult to wait for answers, it is important that the investigation that occurs is both fair and complete.. 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. No. 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. A video from Rice, who arrived within minutes of the shooting, shows King on the ground in cuffs as Davis yells. The only ones are at the very top and that's so the jury will not be able to hear anything going on outside. Brttain went to the bed to get something(transmission fluid / anti-freeze) for the truck. the officer fired 1 shot killing the teen. Brittains family retained Ben Crump and Devin Jacob just days after the shooting. 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. 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. 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. 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 and King have said that Brittain jumped out of the truck as soon as he stopped for Davis. I think its murder, she said. It's not that this isn't a shocking and tragic. During the trial, King told the jury that Brittain had been working on replacing his transmission all night. He said he never heard any verbal cues from Davis until after the shots were fired. Prosecuting attorney, Jeff Phillips said the state is fine with the verdict but the sentencing wasn't what they expected. Al Sharpton, left, and attorney Benjamin Crump, right, escort Rebecca Payne to view her grandson's casket during the funeral service for 17-year-old Hunter Brittain, on Tuesday, July 6, 2021, at the Beebe High Schools Auditorium in Beebe, Ark. We'll never have Hunter standing with us again.". 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.". (Arkansas Democrat-Gazette/Thomas Metthe). Davis claimed in that interview that he shouted at Brittain to "show me our hands." 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. ", Davis then starts yelling at a passenger, Jordan King, "What are y'all driving the vehicle like that?". Example video title will go here for this video. You could always say Mr. Graham should have stepped away immediately but that is hindsight, Newcomb said. Lonoke County Sheriff John Staley last week fired Davis for not turning on his body camera until after he had shot Brittain. 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. What has been the reaction to the shooting? Graham filed the motion for a special prosecutor on July 8, a week after a conversation with the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette. At about seven minutes into the video, another deputy arrives and says, "Why don't we just chill and stop talking now?". After another pre-trial hearing on March 14, the trial will officially begin on March 15. There's no way around it and nobody's gonna change my mind about it," he said. In their closing arguments, the defense highlighted Davis' character and how he became a police officer to help people, not hurt people. Who is Hunter Brittain, the 17-year-old killed by Arkansas police? Both are representing Brittains family. She said that is easier for larger prosecuting offices to implement. On June 24, Graham sent an email to state police special agent Robert Middleton saying, Per our phone conversation, we will not be releasing the body camera video of the recent Officer Involved Shooting in Lonoke County at this time. He said each prosecutors office has to make its own determination on how to handle police shootings. The white teens death prompted protests in a region of the state not known for speaking out against police violence. His attorney did not respond to a request for comment. 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. Sharpton eulogized 17-year-old Hunter Brittain, who was shot and killed by a white Lonoke County sheriffs deputy, Sgt. They should have no interaction with police officers because that can create a sense of bias, Marque Heydari said. King responds that the truck wouldn't shift into park. Michael Davis, during a traffic stop June 23 near Cabot, about 30 miles (50 kilometers) northeast of Little Rock. Michael Davis of the Lonoke County sheriff's office are shown in this undated combination of courtesy photos. Davis mentioned Brittain's 'loud' and 'smoking' truck, along with their interaction happening 3 a.m. The family of Brittain has hired Devon Jacob and Benjamin Crump to represent them in the case. Hunter Brittain (left) and then-Sgt. 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. Crump questioned Grahams involvement in the case in response to inquiries Wednesday by the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette. "I was not happy. Were going to take this and see what else [the special prosecutor in the case] has got to say and hopefully this will stick. His press conference on Friday was brief and he refused to take questions. Hunter Brittains family has called for police reform, including an end to qualified immunity, the legal doctrine that shields many police officers from legal action when accused of committing crimes in the court of their duty. 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.. 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. Jurors acquitted Michael Davis of manslaughter while finding him guilty of the misdemeanor charge in the death of 17-year-old Hunter Brittain during a June traffic stop outside Cabot, a city of about 26,000 people roughly 30 miles north-east of Little Rock. Even though it's not the ending he wanted, defense attorney Robert Newcomb said juries often go with the lesser charge. He remains free on bond pending appeal. Arkansas State Police are investigating Brittains death. The file includes hundreds of documents, including Davis' employment record, body camera footage from deputies and Cabot police officers who responded, crime scene photos and interviews with witnesses. I dont think he did anything that clearly prejudiced Davis rights in the case.. In Arkansas, law enforcement agencies typically investigate cases while prosecutors make the decision on whether criminal charges will be filed. Brittain turned into a lot off the highway and jumped out of the vehicle, which was rolling backward, Newcomb said Wednesday. One bullet can go through and cause injury in more than one location, Newcomb said. 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. Davis said he shot Brittain once, after the teen exited his truck and. The two conflicting narratives were hampered by the fact that Davis body camera was never turned on during the quick encounter. He wont be an officer no more and he cant kill no more kids.. Now that the trial has begun, Brittain's Aunt Mary Robertson is praying that that accountability happens in the coming days. 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 . After closing arguments, one juror had to leave for a medical emergency and they had to bring in an alternate juror, with deliberation beginning around 5 p.m. on Thursday, March 17. Brittain was up late working on the vehicles transmission before taking the test drive, family members have said. The sheriff said he respected the jurys decision. Jordan King told police that the two had been working on the truck's transmission all night and were test driving it. Davis said all of these things were the reason he felt afraid for his life and thought Brittain "was going to kill him.". But the passenger in the truck heard no verbal communication, only 1 shot. 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. Both were lawyers in George Floyd's murder case. If you use a windshield cover, you can at least forget about scrapping the ice off your windshield to save some time and hassle. 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. 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. But it turned out to just be a jug of antifreeze. Create an account to follow your favorite communities and start taking part in conversations. There were no indications of drug and alcohol use listed on the coroners report. 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