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The family of 22-year-old Stephon Clark has waited a year for someone to be held accountable for his death, and it looks like they have no choice but to continue on that journey.
Over the weekend District Attorney Anne Marie Schubert announced there would be no charges against the Sacramento police officers who shot and killed Clark in his grandmother’s backyard last March.
READ MORE: No Charges Filed against officers who killed Stephon Clark, mother reacts
Police officers alleged that on March 18, 2018 Clark, who was unarmed, pointed a gun at them during a foot-chase after a report that several cars in the area had been vandalized. After shooting at Clark 20 times within 23 seconds of encountering him, the police discovered he had nothing more than a cell phone in his hand.
“It was clear today that the Sacramento District Attorney had chosen to advocate for officers Terrance Mercadal and Jared Robinet rather than the victim, Stephon Clark,” said Brian Panish, attorney for Clark’s children.
“Multiple shots to Stephon’s back tell a very different story than the cherry-picked facts presented today, fatal shots that left Stephon without a voice, his children without a father and a community to mourn the injustice of another officer involved shooting.”
The news of no charges against the officers sent the family reeling, with Clark’s grandmother experiencing health complications shortly afterward.
Se’Quette Clark, Stephon’s mother is reportedly devastates, particularly after several protests have already erupted across the city of Sacramento after Schubert’s announcement. She is set to meet with California Attorney General Xavier Becerra on Tuesday at Calvary Christian Center.
After their meeting, Becerra announced publicly that he did not investigate the California Department of Justice’s findings in the shooting death of Stephon Clark. His investigation was a complete and through impartial investigation of the evidence independent of the district attorney’s office.
Becerra announced that the evidence established that Clark broke one of his neighbor’s glass sliding door, did not follow officer’s commands and, at the time of the shooting, Clark advanced the officers and appeared to have something with a bright light in his hand. Since the officers felt threaten by these actions and in accordance with the law, that no criminal charges can be sustained. As a result, Becerra’s office will not seek any further charges on the matter.
“A part of her soul has been ripped from her and no one can understand the loss of a child’s life or the pain that it has on a mother,” said Jamilia Land, family spokesperson, in an interview with theGrio.
“She’s shattered, but she’s strong and she’s resilient. She is determined that her son will not just be another name added to a list of young men and women in this country who have lost their lives senselessly to police murder.”
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In announcing that officers would not be charged with a crime, Schubert also revealed personal details about Clark’s possible state of mind prior to the time of his death. Based upon phone and internet search history records, Schubert detailed that Clark was researching suicide and having issues with the mother of his children.
“You can see that there were many things weighing heavily on his mind,” Schubert said. “It is clear that they had a very tumultuous relationship.”
Clark’s family insists that none of this information explains or justifies the police shooting him in the back to kill him.
“It’s troubling because what she did was smear his name in an attempt to alter the public’s mindset about the value of his life,” said Land.
“The details that she released were, in my opinion, used as a distraction away from what really happened here. She made it sound as though he was trying to attempt suicide by cop, which is not the case. What happens in these killings is that oftentimes the victim is dehumanized. So much that it makes it more palatable for the American public to accept the loss of his life.”
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Land also explains that the family is working to support the passage of legislation called AB392: The California Act to Save Lives, which would prohibit police from using deadly force in situations where non-lethal alternatives could be used instead. Advocates say the bill would save lives and protect communities from police violence. Getting this bill passed would also be a part of Clark’s legacy and ensure his death was not made in vain.
“To have this legislative piece that changes the legal standard is imperative, because without changing the legal standard we will continue to see these types of murders be justified legally,” said Land.
The families of Oscar Grant and Sahleem Tindle, two young Black men who were both killed by BART police officers in separate incidents, have also signed on to advocate for the bill. If you live in California, you can take action here.
