By Josh Troy
Clarksdale Advocate
Democratic District Attorney candidate Michael Carr spoke on behalf of his client, an Indianola police officer who shot and wounded an 11-year-old boy on May 20. He stated it was accidental in an interview with Good Morning America on Wednesday morning.
Carr is representing Sgt. Greg Capers, who shot Aderrien Murry, 11, in the chest after Murry called for help with a domestic disturbance, according to reports in USA Today.
Clarksdale Municipal Judge Carlos Moore is representing Murry’s family. Murry’s mother, Nakala Murry, and the family are pushing for Capers to be terminated.
Capers was suspended without pay by a 4-1 vote pending the outcome of the investigation from the Mississippi Bureau of Investigation. No criminal charges have been filed against him.
“Anytime a child is injured by a police officer, it is a horrible situation,” Carr said. “Some attorneys like to embellish their outrage for clicks and press. Unfortunately, this is happening here to Sgt. Capers by the personal injury lawyer for the family. As Sgt. Capers’ lawyer, in the past 24 hours, I have been contacted by multiple national news networks, including NBC, ABC, CNN, USA Today, Associated Press, Huffington Post, and GMA. And I am being clear to all of them when they ask for a statement – this is not a Trayvon Martin situation – despite what the personal injury attorney for the minor child wants to say. This was a response by an award-winning seasoned police officer to a midnight domestic violence call at a house with a history of domestic violence calls, where a complete and total accident happened, and a child was shot. Thankfully, Sgt. Capers had his body camera running, and this footage, after being released by MBI (Mississippi Bureau of Investigation), will completely and totally clear his name. If anything, this situation is further proof that every city and county agency should have funding to run body cameras on each car and officer. If I am elected district attorney, I will work with federal, state, and local authorities to make sure we get funding for all our officers to have cameras. This protects the public AND the officers.”
Moore provided a statement about Capers’ suspension to Good Morning America.
“It was always my belief that it was reckless,” Moore said. “And the statute clearly states, if it’s intentional or reckless, it’s aggravated assault.”
Murry was on Good Morning America last month and said he was awakened by an argument between his mom and her ex-boyfriend. He was told by his mom to call the police. He said the police told everyone in the home to come out with their hands up.
“I came out doing this,” said Murry, raising his hands, to GMA. “It feels like a taser, like a big punch to the chest.”
Nakala Murry also spoke to GMA after the shooting.
“I said, ‘You’re not going to die, baby. You’re not going to die. Just keep talking,'” Nakala Murry said.
Aderrien Murry was hospitalized five days after the shooting for a collapsed lung, a cut on his liver, and fractured ribs.
Moore appeared on GMA with Nakala Murry after the shooting.
“We’re hoping that the City of Indianola immediately terminates Officer Greg Capers,” said Moore on GMA after the shooting. “There’s no justification for shooting this unarmed 11-year-old black child in the chest. We want the Chief of Police, Ronald Sampson, also to be immediately terminated. We also want the body camera footage, and we want prosecution for aggravated assault.”
Carr was not surprised that GMA contacted him.
“Police-involved shootings, especially of children, are a hot topic in this country,” he said. “It sells in the news. GMA and every other news outlet that has contacted me.”
However, Carr believed other issues factored into Capers’ suspension.
“This is an administrative and budgetary decision by the city,” Carr said. “While Sgt. Capers and I both wish that the city would have given us notice and an opportunity to be heard before they made this decision, the city is a small municipality with a limited budget, and they do not need to be paying for officers who cannot work. We understand that. This money is better allocated to an officer who can be on the streets protecting the citizens while MBI is conducting its investigation into Sgt. Capers’ case. Sgt. Capers is ready to clear his name and get back to work, but primarily, he wants the citizens of Indianola to be safe.
“This is simply a cost-saving measure by the city. It has no reflection on the merits of the criminal investigation. Sgt. Capers supports using his salary to hire or pay overtime to another officer to ensure the citizens of Indianola have full police coverage.”
Carr said he has been a contract attorney for the Southern States Police Benevolent Association for 12 years, and he has been involved with several cases involving the police ever since. He mentioned that members of the Clarksdale Police Department got him involved with the Southern States Police Benevolent Association.
“This organization provides legal services to police officers and corrections officers in all types of situations – from wage disputes, promotion issues, racial discrimination, and administrative termination to uses of lethal force in the line of duty,” he said. “When the organization calls on behalf of an officer, I respond.”
The District Attorney primary is on August 8, and the area covers Coahoma, Bolivar, Tunica, and Quitman counties. Carr is based in Cleveland and running against incumbent Brenda Mitchell.
“As with any local officer-involved shooting, if elected, I will recuse and properly refer the case to the Attorney General’s Office in Jackson for review and possible presentment to a grand jury,” Carr said. “We must maintain neutrality in these situations. Unfortunately, domestic violence situations are some of the most dangerous situations for an officer to respond to, and they are also the most difficult to prevent. As a district attorney, I will work with justice and city courts at the lower levels to enforce restraining orders and also work with federal prosecutors to enforce the federal firearm ban for those convicted of domestic violence. That will help get ahead of any escalation.”
GOOD MORNING AMERICA CLIPS ABOUT THE SHOOTING:
