Mississippi man allegedly choked to death by police officer

theGRIO REPORT - The Mississippi Bureau of Investigation is investigating the death of 39-year-old Jonathan Sanders, who died on Wednesday night after an encounter with a police officer. Stewart Parish, Sander's attorney, said that Sanders was exercising his horses when he was stopped by Officer Kevin Herrington, who began to choke Sanders with a flashlight...

The Mississippi Bureau of Investigation is investigating the death of 39-year-old Jonathan Sanders, who died on Wednesday night after an encounter with a police officer.

Stewart Parish, Sander’s attorney, said that Sanders was exercising his horses when he was stopped by Officer Kevin Herrington, who began to choke Sanders with a flashlight.

According to WTOK, Sanders died on the scene.

Chief Michael Street said that police could not release much more information than that because it was an ongoing investigation. “We can’t really give out any particulars to it because it is an ongoing investigation. I can say that we’ve always had a good relation with the community, and we continue to do that,” he said.

According to Charita Kennedy, Sander’s girlfriend, the horse buggy was equipped with the proper lights, and Sanders was not violating any laws. What’s more, Kennedy said that Sanders told the officer he could not breathe as he was being choked.

Now, Kennedy is devastated that their one-year-old baby will grow up fatherless.

Chief Street has asked for calm as the MBI investigates the case and assures the public that his door is open.

“We just ask that the citizens allow that to take place, not to try to take anything out in the streets. Our door is open,” he said.

SHARE THIS ARTICLE