Two cops involved in the fatal shooting of a Brooklyn teen last spring are free to go about their business. The Daily News reports that prosecutors “are not pursuing criminal charges against the [officers] and will not be presenting case to the grand jury” in the killing of Kimani Gray, who police say pointed a revolver at plainclothes officers in East Flatbush. Gray was shot seven times, with three bullets entering from the back, prompting claims from his family that he may have been running away.
“It’s what I’ve expected,” a lawyer for the family told the Daily News of the D.A.’s decision not to pursue charges. “I’m going by how long it has taken and the police’s initial statement that the shooting was justified.”
Gray’s death led to days of protests in the neighborhood after witnesses said the police didn’t provide a proper warning before opening fire. Dozens, including Gray’s sister, were arrested in clashes with the police.
The officers named in the shooting, Sergeants Mourad Mourad and Jovaniel Cordova, had a history of civil rights abuse allegations against them, adding fuel to the fire. They still face a federal lawsuit from Gray’s family, but for those hoping for criminal consequences in the death of Eric Garner on Staten Island, or more accountability for police in general, this news, while not surprising, is not welcome either.
