CIVIL rights activist Al Sharpton will deliver a eulogy at Andrew Brown Jr's funeral next week.
A service for the dad-of-10 – who was shot dead by cops in North Carolina during a drug-related warrant executed by police on April 21 – will be held in Elizabeth County on Monday (May 3).
It comes as Pasquotank County Sheriff Tommy Wooten on Thursday released the names of the deputies involved in the incident.
He revealed four of the cops at the scene did not fire their weapons – but other three who did will remain on administrative leave until the investigation is complete.
The four back on active duty are Lt Steve Judd, Sgt Michael Swindell, Sgt Kendall Bishop and Sgt Joel Lunsford, while those staying on leave are Investigator Daniel Meads, Deputy Sheriff II Robert Morgan and Corp Aaron Lewellyn.
Sheriff Wooten said: "I'll continue to be transparent whenever I can — without interfering in the independent investigation."
Read our live blog below for the very latest on Andrew Brown Jr's death…
- John Hall
SHERIFF RELEASES NAMES OF ALL SEVEN DEPUTIES INVOLVED IN BROWN'S SHOOTING
In an effort to be transparent after he received backlash, Sheriff Tommy Wooten released the names of all seven deputies who were involved in the shooting death of Andrew Brown Jr.
Four of the deputies, Lt. Steven Judd, Sgt. Michael Swindell, Sgt. Kenneth Bishop and Sgt. Joel Lunford, have returned to work afte ran investigation revealed they did not fire their guns.
Three of the deputies, Deputy Robert Morgan, Corporal Aaron Levelly, and sheriff’s investigator Daniel Meads, remain suspended as investigations continue.
- John Hall
PROTESTS ENTER A NINTH STRAIGHT DAY AFTER ANDREW BROWN JR'S DEATH
Police in Elizabeth City have begun warning protesters to disperse the city streets after the 8PM curfew enacted in the city.
Marchers are out in the city for a ninth straight day to protest against the police shooting death of Andrew Brown Jr., who was killed by law enforcement last Wednesday.
The Elizabeth City Police Department said in a tweet late Thursday night that it would begin issuing violations to protesters still out on Colonial Avenue after curfew.
Police say there are about 50 people still in the streets.
- John Hall
THREE DEPUTIES REMAIN SUSPENDED IN SHOOTING DEATH OF ANDREW BROWN JR
After reports surfaced of four deputies involved in Andrew Brown Jr's shooting have returned to work, Pasquotank County Sheriff Tommy Wooten said three more remain suspended as investigations continue underway.
On Thursday, Wooten issued a statement saying "four of the deputies never fired their weapons and deserve to be reinstated to active duty."
"More investigation is necessary into the three deputies who did fire their weapons and they will remain on administrative leave pending completion" of a criminal probe underway by the State Bureau of Investigation, Wooten said.
Deputy Robert Morgan, Corporal Aaron Levelly, and sheriff's investigator Daniel Meads have been identified as the law enforcement officers who remain suspended.
- Olivia Burke
GUNSHOT TO BACK OF THE HEAD KILLED BROWN, ATTORNEY SAYS
Andrew Brown Jr died after receiving a gunshot to the back of his head, lawyers for his family said.
According to attorney Ben Crump, a private individual autopsy report found that police had fired five shots – the last being the fatal one.
"Now you all know from the death certificate that it was a penetrating gunshot wound to the head," Crump said
"But … what they did not know was it was a kill shot to the back of the head."
Brown was reportedly hit four times in his right arm by bullets that penetrated the windshield of his car – before he was shot from behind as he tried to drive away.
- Olivia Burke
WHY HASN'T THE BODY CAM FOOTAGE OF BROWN'S DEATH BEEN RELEASED?
Despite continuing calls for authorities to release the body cam footage of Andrew Brown Jr's death, it remains concealed.
It is because North Carolina law states that body camera vide is not a public record and cannot be released without a court order.
Media outlets, including the likes of CNN, petitioned for its release – but Judge Jeff Foster denied the request for at least another 30 days.
Protestors are becoming increasingly frustrated with the lack of evidence available and are skeptical of cops accounts of the shooting.
- Olivia Burke
THREE OFFICERS FIRED WEAPONS
Three deputies fired shots at Andrew Brown Jr and are on administrative leave.
Investigator Daniel Meads, Deputy Sheriff II Robert Morgan and Cpl. Aaron were identified by the Pasquotank County sheriff on Thursday.
Seven officers were present when deputies attempted to execute a warrant – before Brown was shot dead in his vehicle.
- Catherina Gioino
SHERIFF'S DEPUTIES RESIGN FROM OR RETURN TO THE FORCE
After Pasquotank County Sheriff Tommy Wooten released the names of all seven officers involved in Andrew Brown Jr's shooting death, some have returned to the force while others have remained suspended or even resigned altogether.
Four of the deputies, Lt. Steven Judd, Sgt. Michael Swindell, Sgt. Kenneth Bishop and Sgt. Joel Lunford, have returned to work afte ran investigation revealed they did not fire their guns.
Three of the deputies, Deputy Robert Morgan, Corporal Aaron Levelly, and sheriff’s investigator Daniel Meads, remain suspended as investigations continue.
Deputy Sheriff William Harris and Lt. Christopher Terry, who both served for over 11 years, have since resigned.
Deputy James Flowers, who has been with the sheriff's office since 2000, will be retiring.
- Catherina Gioino
PROTESTERS CALL FOR "RELEASE THE TAPES" IN WAKE OF BROWN'S DEATH
Protesters out for a ninth straight night are demanding the release of the full tapes showing deputies' fatal shooting of Andrew Brown Jr last Wednesday.
"Release the tapes" protesters chanted as they marched through the streets of Elizabeth City on Thursday.
Lawyers for the family Brown Jr have called on Elizabeth City police to make their body worn camera footage public and evoked George Floyd's death as reason why.
We "wouldn't have known what happened to George Floyd without the video," attorneys for Brown's family argued in court on
- Catherina Gioino
SHERIFF RELEASES NAMES OF ALL SEVEN DEPUTIES INVOLVED IN BROWN'S SHOOTING
In an effort to be transparent after he received backlash, Sheriff Tommy Wooten released the names of all seven deputies who were involved in the shooting death of Andrew Brown Jr.
Four of the deputies, Lt. Steven Judd, Sgt. Michael Swindell, Sgt. Kenneth Bishop and Sgt. Joel Lunford, have returned to work afte ran investigation revealed they did not fire their guns.
Three of the deputies, Deputy Robert Morgan, Corporal Aaron Levelly, and sheriff’s investigator Daniel Meads, remain suspended as investigations continue.
- Catherina Gioino
PROTESTS ENTER A NINTH STRAIGHT DAY AFTER ANDREW BROWN JR'S DEATH
Police in Elizabeth City have begun warning protesters to disperse the city streets after the 8PM curfew enacted in the city.
Marchers are out in the city for a ninth straight day to protest against the police shooting death of Andrew Brown Jr., who was killed by law enforcement last Wednesday.
The Elizabeth City Police Department said in a tweet late Thursday night that it would begin issuing violations to protesters still out on Colonial Avenue after curfew.
Police say there are about 50 people still in the streets.
- Catherina Gioino
THREE DEPUTIES REMAIN SUSPENDED IN SHOOTING DEATH OF ANDREW BROWN JR
After reports surfaced of four deputies involved in Andrew Brown Jr's shooting have returned to work, Pasquotank County Sheriff Tommy Wooten said three more remain suspended as investigations continue underway.
On Thursday, Wooten issued a statement saying "four of the deputies never fired their weapons and deserve to be reinstated to active duty."
"More investigation is necessary into the three deputies who did fire their weapons and they will remain on administrative leave pending completion" of a criminal probe underway by the State Bureau of Investigation, Wooten said.
Deputy Robert Morgan, Corporal Aaron Levelly, and sheriff's investigator Daniel Meads have been identified as the law enforcement officers who remain suspended.
- Catherina Gioino
THE FOUR NORTH CAROLINA DEPUTIES INVOLVED IN ANDREW BROWN JR'S SHOOTING RETURN BACK TO WORK
The four North Carolina deputies who had fatally shot and killed Andrew Brown Jr. have returned back to work after a brief suspension.
The four deputies are back on duty after investigators found they never shot their guns.
Three others will remain on leave, Pasquotank County Sheriff Tommy Woote said on Thursday.
- Katie Davis
FBI OPENS CIVIL RIGHTS PROBE INTO BROWN’S DEATH
The FBI is opening a civil rights investigation into the death of Andrew Brown Jr.
The announcement on Tuesday came after his family claimed that when the dad was shot dead by deputies, his hands were on his steering wheel.
“The FBI Charlotte Field Office has opened a federal civil rights investigation into the police-involved shooting death of Andrew Brown Jr.,” an FBI spokesman said.
“Agents will work closely with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of North Carolina and the Civil Rights Division at the Department of Justice to determine whether federal laws were violated.”
- Katie Davis
PROSECTOR CLAIMS BROWN HIT COPS WITH CAR BEFORE THEY SHOT HIM
Andrew Brown Jr hit deputies with his car before they fired the shots that killed him, a prosecutor claimed in court yesterday.
Bodycam footage of the fatal incident has not yet been released by police, however, family members of Brown have called his death an “execution”.
District Attorney Andrew Womble told the judge that he had viewed the footage and disagreed with a characterization by attorneys for the family of Brown Jr. that his car was stationary when the shooting started.
Womble said the footage shows Brown’s car making contact with police twice before two shots could be heard ringing out in the video.
- Katie Davis
‘RELEASING FOOTAGE NOW WOULD JEOPARDIZE INVESTIGATION’, JUDGE SAYS
Judge Jeff Foster said he was delaying the release of the footage “to allow completion of any investigation being undertaken” by NC SBI and the local district attorney.
He added that sharing video at this time would “pose a serious threat to the administration of justice and infringe on the confidentiality necessary to protect a possible criminal investigation”.
The judge said he would reconsider Pasquotank County Sheriff Tommy Wooten’s request for video to be released in 30 to 45 days time “based on the factors as they exist at the that time”.
- Katie Davis
DEPUTIES WHO DIDN'T FIRE AT BROWN BACK ON DUTY
The four deputies who didn't fire at Andrew Brown Jr are back on active duty.
Pasquotank County Sheriff Tommy Wooten said that after review of body cam footage, the cops had been brought back in from administrative leave as they did not shoot during the incident on April 21.
The other three who did fire will remain on leave until the investigation is completed.
Wooten said in a statement: "After reviewing the preliminary conclusions of the independent investigators conducting the internal review, and after carefully examining the body camera footage of the incident with my own staff, it's obvious that four of the deputies never fired their weapons and deserve to be reinstated to active duty."
- Katie Davis
PASQUOTANK COUNTY SHERIFF ‘DISAPPOINTED’ BY JUDGE’S RULING
Pasquotank County Sheriff Tommy Wooten has said he is “disappointed” the body cam footage won’t be released immediately after appealing for it to be made public.
“I wanted the body camera footage to be released to the public as soon as possible, and I’m disappointed it won’t happen immediately,” he said.
“Obviously, I’ll respect the judge’s ruling.
“Although we’re unable to show the public what happened right now, the independent investigators are working to complete their investigation.
“As soon as all of the important facts are given to me, I will act quickly to ensure accountability and I’ll be as transparent as I possibly can with the public.”
- Katie Davis
EXPLAINED: WHY WAS ANDREW BROWN JR BEING ARRESTED?
Andrew Brown Jr was shot at about 8.30am on April 21 when deputies attempted to serve a drug-related arrest warrant on Brown at his home in Elizabeth City, North Carolina.
According to the search warrant that was signed one day before, Brown had a criminal rap sheet dating back thirty years.
Authorized on April 20 by North Carolina Superior Court Senior Resident Judge Jerry R. Tillett, the warrant stated that a confidential source had been in contact with a senior member of a narcotics task force.
Agent R.D. Johnson of the Dare County Narcotics Task Force was allegedly told by the informant that they had been purchasing illegal drugs from Brown for over a year, according to Fox News.
They claim to have bought “different quantities of cocaine, crack cocaine, heroin, and methamphetamine from Brown on numerous occasions”.
- Katie Davis
NORTH CAROLINA GOV SAYS VID SHOULD BE RELEASED
Gov Roy Cooper has doubled down and said that the body cam footage showing the moment Andrew Brown Jr was shot should be released.
“I believe in as much transparency as possible and I believe this video should be released as quickly as possible,” the North Carolina rep said, reports CNN.
It comes after he this week released a statement asking for a special prosecutor to take over the case.
- Katie Davis
ANDREW BROWN JR'S PRIVATE AUTOPSY RESULTS REVEALED
Brown’s family this week released an independent autopsy showing he was shot five times, including in the back of the head.
The FBI’s Charlotte field office, which opened the civil rights investigation into Brown’s death, said in a statement Tuesday that its agents planned to work closely with the Department of Justice “to determine whether federal laws were violated.”
The independent autopsy was performed Sunday by a pathologist hired by Brown’s family.
The exam noted four wounds to the right arm and one to the head. The state’s autopsy has not been released yet.
The family’s lawyers also released a copy of the death certificate, which lists the cause of death as a “penetrating gunshot wound of the head.”
- Katie Davis
STATEMENT FROM PASQUOTANK SHERIFF TOMMY WOOTEN
Pasquotank County Sheriff Tommy Wooten said: "I promised the citizens of this county I would be transparent and accountable in this matter. I have been.
"I asked the court to make the body camera footage public. I insisted on outside investigations to ensure impartiality.
"And now I'm releasing the names of the deputies on the scene.
"I'll continue to be transparent whenever I can — without interfering in the independent investigations."
- Katie Davis
SHERIFF RELEASES NAMES OF COPS INVOLVED
Pasquotank County Sheriff Tommy Wooten has released the names of the deputies involved in the incident.
He revealed four of the cops at the scene did not fire their weapons – but other three who did will remain on administrative leave until the investigation is complete.
The four back on active duty are Lt Steve Judd, Sgt Michael Swindell, Sgt Kendall Bishop and Sgt Joel Lunsford, while those staying on leave are Investigator Daniel Meads, Deputy Sheriff II Robert Morgan and Corp Aaron Lewellyn.
- Fatma Khaled
LAWYERS ARE CONSIDERING AN APPEAL TO JUDGE’S DECISION ABOUT FOOTAGE RELEASE
Lawyers of a coalition of news media organizations said they will consider appealing Judge Jeff Foster’s rule that denied the release of the bodycam footage containing the police shooting of Andrew Brown, USA Today reported.
A coalition of news media organizations, including the USA Today’s parent company Gannett, petitioned to have the footage released.
Foster ruled that the media doesn’t have the standing to obtain the bodycam footage.
"If the media don’t have standing to petition the court for release of law enforcement video, the general public does not either. We believe that is legally incorrect," Mike Tadych and Amanda Martin, attorneys representing the coalition, said in a statement, according to USA Today.
"We will review the judge’s written order when we receive it and decide at that point how best to appeal it immediately," they added.
- Fatma Khaled
ANDREW BROWN WAS LAST ARRESTED IN NOVEMBER
The father of seven children who was fatally shot by the police last week was arrested in November 2020 on drug charges.
Brown had a history of convictions for drug dealing, Carolinapublicpress reported citing public records.
In 2004, Brown was convicted of speeding to elude arrest.
Between 2006 and 2008 he was convicted of multiple misdemeanors for communicating threats and one for violating an order of protection.
He had earlier convictions for assault, domestic trespass and wanton injury to person or property, in addition to multiple property and drug crimes.
However, despite his long rap sheet there is no evidence that Brown ever spent time in prison.
- Fatma Khaled
PROTESTORS ARRESTED FOR BREAKING CURFEW
At least five people were arrested for breaking the curfew imposed in Elizabeth City, North Carolina, according to ABC.
Demonstrators gathered Wednesday night to protest the police shooting of Andrew Brown.
Dozens of protesters stayed in the streets after the 8pm curfew began.
A state of emergency was declared in Elizabeth City, North Carolina and a curfew was imposed in fear of potential civil unrest.
Source: Read Full Article
