Families Demand Justice and Reform Following Police Killings in Michigan

June 07, 2024 Story by: Editor

Members of Black Lives Matter protest in New York on July 17, 2019, marking the fifth anniversary of Eric Garner's death. This demonstration occurred a day after federal prosecutors decided not to charge NYPD Officer Daniel Pantaleo or other officers involved in Garner's death. Photo by Michael A. McCoy / Reuters

On Friday, the families of individuals killed by police in Michigan, alongside civil rights attorneys, activists, and community leaders, gathered at the state Capitol to advocate for police reform and insist that officers be held legally accountable for the deaths of Samuel Sterling, Riley Doggett, and Patrick Lyoya.

Civil rights attorney Ben Crump highlighted the common thread in these tragedies: "What is so profound about all these tragedies, where these young men's lives were taken far too soon, was that all of these young men — Samuel Sterling , Riley Doggett , Patrick Lyoya — they were all unarmed at the time they were murdered by the police," he said. "And thank God ... each and every one of them were captured on video."

Patrick Lyoya was fatally shot in 2022 by then-Grand Rapids police officer Christopher Schurr during a struggle. Schurr, charged with second-degree murder, has yet to stand trial.

Sterling and Doggett lost their lives in separate incidents this April, both involving police vehicles. Sterling died on April 17 after being pinned against a fast-food restaurant wall by an unmarked police SUV driven by Michigan State Police Detective Sergeant Brian Keely, who faces charges of second-degree murder and involuntary manslaughter. Doggett died on May 9 after being hit by a police cruiser while fleeing on foot.

Crump condemned the use of police vehicles as deadly weapons: "There's something that is so sickening about the fact that you would use your police cruiser as a deadly weapon on people who are posing no threat to you, no harm to you," he said. "They're running away from you, and you're going to run over them with your police cruiser? You wouldn't even run over a dog like that."

Supporters, carrying signs advocating for justice for Sterling, Doggett, and Lyoya, gathered at the Capitol steps, calling for reforms such as the prompt release of police footage and the availability of public records. They concluded the rally with a march around the Capitol lawn.

Among the speakers were Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Hill Harper, Detroit attorney Ven Johnson, and former Kent County Commissioner Robert Womack. They urged Attorney General Dana Nessel to charge Kent County Sheriff's Deputy Josiah McMains, who struck Doggett with his vehicle during a high-speed chase.

Doggett was a passenger in a car suspected of being stolen, leading to a chase that ended with Doggett being hit by McMains' cruiser. Despite McMains' claim that he believed Doggett was armed, it was later revealed Doggett was holding a cell phone. McMains remains uncharged and has returned to duty, prompting calls from Doggett's mother, Becky Wilbert, for Nessel to review the case.

Sterling's mother, Andrica Cage, expressed frustration over Keely's treatment, describing a recent court appearance where he was neither handcuffed nor closely supervised. "He might have gotten charged as a criminal, but he did not get treated as one," she said. Cage and other speakers vowed to continue their fight for justice and legislative changes.

Peter Lyoya, father of Patrick Lyoya , also addressed the crowd, denouncing the delays in Schurr's trial. Schurr's defense hinges on a rule permitting police to use deadly force against fleeing felons, but Michigan's appeals court ruled in January that Schurr could stand trial.

Crump attributed the incident to racial profiling: "It was an obvious case of 'driving while Black,'" he said. Video evidence shows Lyoya being stopped because his license plate did not match his vehicle, followed by a fatal struggle during which Schurr shot Lyoya in the back of the head.The rally underscored the ongoing demand for accountability and reform in the face of these tragic deaths. Source: The Detroit News