ST. LOUIS – Missouri Representative Bruce Franks and the family of a man killed by two St. Louis police officers in 2013 are calling for the case to be reopened. It comes after federal investigators and the US Attorney said the shooting was justified.
State Representative Bruce Franks said although a federal investigation concluded that officers were justified in using deadly force when in killing 25-year-old Cary Ball Jr., Franks does not believe all the facts in the case were presented at the time of the investigation. He’s now demanded the case be reopened.
On Wednesday, Ball’s family requested the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department turn over all evidence and reports from the shooting to the St. Louis Circuit Attorney’s Office. Franks has also asked the new US Attorney to conduct a parallel investigation to seek color law charges and civil rights charges so they can do an independent investigation.
“It’s not that we believe—we know—that Cary Ball Jr.’s rights were deprived,” Franks said.
Ball was shot and killed by St. Louis police officers following a high-speed chase in April 2013. Authorities said Ball pointed a handgun at officers. The shooting followed a pursuit.
However, Ball’s family and Rep. Franks said witnesses told them Ball raised his hands to surrender before officers shot him and that officers continued to fire shots even after he had fallen to the ground.
At the time of the shooting, a police internal investigation concluded that officers were justified, but the conflicting reports prompted then Police Chief Sam Dotson to make a rare move and request an FBI review. Federal investigators and the US Attorney’s Office concluded there was no basis for criminal charges and the officers were justified.
Franks said there was never an independent investigation.
“They did not do an independent investigation, they simply overlooked the information from police and made a decision there,” Franks said.
