As per the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia, the U.S. Park Police officer who shot and killed a 17-year-old boy after getting into the boy’s car will not be charged.
In a news release released Thursday, prosecutors said there was “insufficient evidence” to charge anyone with the murder of 17-year-old Dalaneo Martin in Washington, D.C. on March 18.
Martin was asleep in a car that police thought had been stolen. A Park Police officer got into the back of the car while other officers worked to hold the teen in the front. Martin drove off with a police officer in the back seat after a fight. The cop who was trapped yelled at Martin to let him out of the car, and then he shot Martin several times. It was said that Martin was dead at the scene of the accident where the car hit a house.
At a news gathering earlier this year, Martin’s mother, Terra Martin, said she wanted the police officers who shot him to be charged with murder.
“I don’t eat, I don’t sleep and justice needs to be served,” she stated.
USA TODAY was calling her lawyer on Friday to get his or her thoughts on what was happening.
What did the video from the body camera show?
People were able to watch body camera video of the shooting for weeks after Martin’s death.
When the Metropolitan Police Department in Washington, D.C., got a call about a strange car, they found Martin sleeping in the driver’s seat of a car that had been reported stolen earlier that month. Police said the engine was still going and the ignition was broken.
The department said that two more Park Police officers and more Metro cops arrived to help arrest Martin. The body cam video shows that the group is talking about how to get Martin out of the car.
The video shows that the police circle the car on all sides, get inside, and try to restrain Martin. One police officer hits the ground on the driver’s side as Martin drives off with a Park Police officer still in the back seat.
“Stop, man. Just let me go.” The police officer yells, “Let me go!” but Martin keeps driving. “Stop.” “Stop or I’ll shoot!”
After one second, the police officer shoots Martin several times in the back, and the car goes off the road and into a nearby house. The officer gets out of the car and tries CPR on Martin, but it doesn’t work. Martin is also declared dead at the scene.
“After a careful, thorough, and independent review of the evidence, federal prosecutors have found insufficient evidence to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the United State Park Police Officer is criminally liable for Mr. Martin’s death,” a statement from the U.S. Attorney’s Office said. “The U.S. Attorney’s Office remains committed to investigating allegations of excessive force by law enforcement officers and will continue to devote the resources necessary to ensure that all allegations of serious civil rights violations are investigated fully and completely.”
Martin’s family responds to the video
When Martin’s family saw the video of the killing, they were furious. His mother told his family attorney in April, “He murdered my baby.”
Her son was seven months old, and Martin was the father. The medical inspector told her that Martin had been shot six times.
This morning, USA TODAY called the U.S. Park Police to get more information.
At the time, the video of the killing was called “extremely upsetting” by the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
Source: US Park Police officer won’t be charged in teen’s shooting death
