Ex-deputy charged with manslaughter in white teen's death

RUSSELLVILLE, Ark. – A erstwhile Arkansas sheriff's lawman was charged Friday with manslaughter successful the fatal shooting of a achromatic teen whose decease has drawn the attraction of nationalist civilian rights activists.

A peculiar authoritative announced the felony complaint against Michael Davis, a erstwhile sergeant with the Lonoke County Sheriff's Office, successful the fatal shooting of 17-year-old Hunter Brittain. Davis faces betwixt 3 and 10 years successful situation if convicted.

Davis shot Brittain during a June 23 postulation stop extracurricular an car repair store on Arkansas Highway 89 southbound of Cabot, a metropolis of astir 26,000 radical astir 30 miles (48 kilometers) northeast of Little Rock.

Davis told investigators helium changeable Brittain erstwhile successful the cervix aft the teen reached into the backmost of his motortruck and did not comply with his commands to amusement his hands, according to the apprehension affidavit. Brittain was holding a instrumentality — which his household members person said held antifreeze — and nary grounds of firearms were recovered successful oregon adjacent the truck, the affidavit said.

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A rider with Brittain said helium and the teen had been moving connected the transmission for Brittain's truck. The rider told investigators helium ne'er heard Davis archer the teen to amusement his hands.

Davis, who is white, was fired by Lonoke County Sheriff John Staley successful July for not turning connected his assemblage camera until aft the shooting occurred. Staley said there’s nary footage from the shooting, lone the aftermath.

Several members of Brittain’s household and friends shouted, “Thank you Jesus!” arsenic Phillips announced the charge. Arkansas State Police said Davis surrendered Friday aft the warrant was issued, and Phillips said a enslaved proceeding would beryllium held connected Monday.

Jesse Brittain, the teen’s uncle, said helium was gladsome to spot Davis charged with something, though helium would person preferred a much superior charge.

“This is something,” helium told reporters aft the announcement. “We’re going to instrumentality this and spot what other (Phillips) has got to accidental and hopefully this volition stick. He won’t beryllium an serviceman nary much and helium can’t termination nary much kids.”

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An lawyer for Davis said the erstwhile lawman would plead not guilty.

“While helium has said each on it was a tragic event, there's nary transgression enactment connected his part," lawyer Robert Newcomb said.

Brittain was eulogized by the Rev. Al Sharpton and 2 attorneys who represented George Floyd's family. They said the teen’s decease highlighted the request for interracial enactment for changes successful policing. Brittain's household and friends person regularly demonstrated extracurricular the Lonoke County sheriff's office, demanding much details connected the shooting.

Floyd died successful May past year erstwhile a achromatic Minneapolis constabulary serviceman utilized his genu to pin the handcuffed Black man’s cervix to the ground. His decease sparked nationwide protests implicit policing and radical inequality.

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Attorneys Ben Crump and Devon Jacob, who correspond Floyd's family, joined with Brittain's household successful calling the complaint the “first measurement successful the pursuit of justness for Hunter Brittain.” And Brittain's household repeated its telephone for the Arkansas Legislature to necessitate officers to deterioration assemblage cameras that would beryllium turned connected arsenic soon arsenic their displacement begins.

“Nothing volition bring Hunter back, but we tin grant his representation and bequest by calling for justness and alteration successful his name," the attorneys and household said successful a statement.

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