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June 10, 2015

Los Angeles Police Oversight Board Reaches Mixed Decision in Fatal Shooting of Unarmed Ezell Ford 
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A Los Angeles police oversight board has issued a mixed ruling on
officers' fatal shooting of an unarmed African-American man last August.
Police claim Ezell Ford, who suffered from mental illness, tried to grab
an officer’s gun during a confrontation. But his family members and at
least one eyewitness say he was complying with the officers and lying on
the ground when he was shot. On Tuesday, the LAPD's civilian oversight
committee faulted one of the two officers for deadly force but cleared
the other. Steve Soboroff of the Los Angeles Board of Police
Commissioners announced the decision.

Steve Soboroff: "Regarding the use of force or firing of the weapon, the
police commission unanimously found that the use of force by one police
officer two, was administrative disapproval, and one police officer two,
in policy, no further action. The determination as to criminal
culpability for the involved officers is the responsibility of the Los
Angeles County DA, and not within the authority of the chief of police
for this commission."

The findings will be referred to prosecutors. During the hearing, Ezell
Ford's mother, Tritobia Ford, pleaded for justice.

Tritobia Ford: "We deserve fairness, I'm asking you, I'm begging you,
please. Please. My son would never grab for a gun. He wanted to live,
that's all he wanted to do was live. He walked. He walked the streets. I
didn't want him to walk the streets around there because I know it was
unsafe, but that was his right. And he didn't deserve to die for it."

Ford’s family has filed a civil rights lawsuit against the LAPD.
Outside the hearing, protesters voiced anger that one officer was
cleared.

Cheyenne Berry: "Frustrated, upset, confused, wondering why this system
still exists that unarmed people of color are still being gunned down,
and mentally ill people of color are still being gunned down, it just
doesn't make sense."

Keith James: "I mean, look, Ezell Ford was gunned down, Brendon Glenn,
gunned down, Charlie Africa, gunned down, you know, one after the other,
Omar Abrego beat to death four blocks away from where Ezell Ford was
killed, just nine days before. This has to stop."

 

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