West Memphis boy's rights weren't violated when officer shot him, feds say
By Jody Callahan
Wednesday, November 7, 2007
West Memphis police officer Erik Sammis did not violate 12-year-old DeAuntae Farrow’s civil rights when he killed the child on June 22, the Department of Justice has concluded.
“After careful consideration, we concluded that the evidence does not establish a prosecutable violation of the federal criminal civil rights statutes,” Mark J. Kappelhoff, chief of the Criminal Section of the department’s Civil Rights Division, wrote in a letter dated Oct. 31.
Sammis shot DeAuntae when the boy and a friend ran by Sammis and another officer, Jimmy Ellis, who were on a stakeout at an apartment complex.
Police have said Sammis fired when it appeared DeAuntae was holding a weapon and moved after officers told them to stop.
Police said it turned out to be a toy gun that was taken into evidence. Police Chief Robert Paudert showed a reporter a photograph of it this afternoon.
Arkansas State Police also investigated the shooting; their conclusions, if they have reached any, have not been made public.
The state police will not take the Justice Department decision into account in making its determination, Paudert said.
link: http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/2007/nov/07/7west/?printer=1/
By Jody Callahan
Wednesday, November 7, 2007
West Memphis police officer Erik Sammis did not violate 12-year-old DeAuntae Farrow’s civil rights when he killed the child on June 22, the Department of Justice has concluded.
“After careful consideration, we concluded that the evidence does not establish a prosecutable violation of the federal criminal civil rights statutes,” Mark J. Kappelhoff, chief of the Criminal Section of the department’s Civil Rights Division, wrote in a letter dated Oct. 31.
Sammis shot DeAuntae when the boy and a friend ran by Sammis and another officer, Jimmy Ellis, who were on a stakeout at an apartment complex.
Police have said Sammis fired when it appeared DeAuntae was holding a weapon and moved after officers told them to stop.
Police said it turned out to be a toy gun that was taken into evidence. Police Chief Robert Paudert showed a reporter a photograph of it this afternoon.
Arkansas State Police also investigated the shooting; their conclusions, if they have reached any, have not been made public.
The state police will not take the Justice Department decision into account in making its determination, Paudert said.
link: http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/2007/nov/07/7west/?printer=1/
