Stephon Clark, an unarmed Black man, was shot and killed in Sacramento, California by police on March 18. There was outrage of the shooting and now federal authorities have delivered a crushing below — federal authorities will not pursue charges against the officer.
A statement from the Justice Department read, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott and Special Agent-in-Charge Sean Ragan of the FBI’s Sacramento Division today announced that the independent federal review into the fatal shooting of Stephon Clark on March 18, 2018, found insufficient evidence to support federal criminal civil rights charges against the Sacramento Police Department officers involved.”
The statement also said officials from the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the FBI met with Clark’s family to inform them of the decision. In addition, “After a careful and thorough review into the facts surrounding the shooting, federal investigators and prosecutors determined that there is insufficient evidence to prove beyond a reasonable doubt a violation of the federal statute. Accordingly, the investigation into this incident has been closed.”
This news comes less than a month after the city settled for a disturbingly low amount. CNN.com reported, “The city of Sacramento has agreed to pay $2.4 million to the two sons of Stephon Clark, the unarmed black man who was fatally shot last year by police, federal court documents filed in California show.”
The site also reported, “Most of the money will be placed into a trust for Clark’s boys, now 5 and 2 years old, who will be able to access it tax-free over three years starting when each turns 22, according to the records, filed Wednesday. About a quarter of the money will go to attorneys, including the firm of high-profile civil rights lawyer Benjamin Crump.”
The lawsuit that was filed asked for $20 million.
Sacramento police fatally shot 22-year-old Clark 20 times in his grandmother’s backyard during a vandalism investigation. Clark, a father of two, was holding a cell phone.
An autopsy performed by a world-renowned medical examiner determined Clark was shot in the back, after no charges or indictments, the cops, Jared Robinet and Terrence Mercadal, who killed him are reportedly still working as police officers.
Our condolences go out to the friends and family of Stephon Clark.
Rest in power.
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