It has been a while since we have heard the name John Crawford III. His death on August 5, 2014, was one of the six most upsetting cases of an African American being killed by police.
By September of 2014, just a month after the shooting, a grand jury had decided not to charge officers in relation to Crawford’s death. However, the officer who fired the lethal shots, Sean Williams, has been on administrative duty for a year and a half as the US Department of Justice continues to investigate the incident.
Ronald Ritchie, who called 911 from inside Walmart, told the dispatcher that Crawford was “walking around with a gun in the store … like, pointing it at people.” Surveillance video from the store, however, shows that was not the case.
On March 25, 2016, ten people filed affidavits including Bomani Moyenda. Moyenda, a writer and activist, said:
“[Ritchie] created the incident that resulted in the death of not only John Crawford but another shopper by the name of Angela Williams.”
Angela Williams, a customer fleeing the store, later died due to a medical issue.
Fairborn Municipal Court Judge Beth Root agreed. She recommended the case be given to a prosecutor for further evaluation. While Ritchie cannot be charged directly with the deaths of Crawford or Williams, the Dayton Daily asserts:
“[He] could be prosecuted for making false alarms, a first-degree misdemeanor punishable by maximums of six months in jail and a $1,000 fine.”
While it remains to be seen what will happen as a result of this finding, it isn’t hard to guess someone who lies during a 911 call resulting in death will be charged or, at the very least, sued by the families of the lives ruined as a result of those lies.
Featured image via YouTube
