To say the withdrawal of an indictment against a white Columbus police officer accused of killing a black suspect generated some outrage is putting it mildly. Attorney General Lynn Fitch dismissed with prejudice a manslaughter indictment against former Columbus police officer Canyon Boykin earlier this week. The timing was not exactly stellar as the decision took place while protests against police brutality rage across America. Boykin's attorney, Jeff Reynolds, stepped up to the plate and defended his client yesterday.
Reynolds issued an 11-page statement that supports the indictment's dismissal. It is posted below.
Boykin and two other Columbus officers pulled over a vehicle five years ago. Ball was a passenger but jumped out and ran. Boykin gave chase. Mr. Reynolds states:
Officer Boykin throws the radio to Officer Branch, Officer Branch radios, “I’ve got one failing to stop,” the passenger jumps from the car, and Officer Boykin simultaneously jumps and gives chase. Officer Boykin has his Taser in his right hand and his flashlight in his left hand as he starts this brief foot chase. Officer Boykin yells, “stop, stop,” but the suspect keeps running.JIM Waaaaaaaaaaiiiiiide, Boykin's co-counsel, told the Columbus Dispatch "They found a pistol on the guy, There was just nothing to contradict what the police officer said about it. They had to have some evidence to go to trial. Just the fact that the guy was killed is not enough to make a criminal case."
The suspect runs in front of the Mercury Marquis and Officer Boykin catches up to him and Tases him in front of the vehicle. The suspect goes down and winds up on his back. When the suspect hits the ground and gets on his back, Officer Boykin can see for the first time that the suspect has a pistol in his right hand. Officer Boykin yells while stuttering, “gun, gun!!” Officer Yolanda Young hears this.
Per police protocol, Officer Boykin creates distance between himself and the danger, so he begins moving in a semi-circle away from the suspect. At the same time, he drops his Taser and draws his own weapon to defend himself. Still, he does not shoot.
A Taser immobilizes a suspect for up to 5 seconds. On this night, the Taser wears off, the suspect gets up, holds onto his gun, and resumes running across a field. He runs about 20 yards, slows down, and then he turns back toward Officer Boykin and raises his right arm to point his gun at Officer Boykin. Officer Young sees the suspect turn back towards Officer Boykin, and at that point, she testified that she is afraid she will be shot by the suspect.
Officer Boykin sees the gun pointed at him, and believing he’s about to be shot, fires nine times at the suspect. He stops firing when he sees the suspect turn back around and resume running away from him. It is later discovered that two of the bullets struck the suspect.
Officer Boykin and Officer Branch give chase to this still armed, still running suspect, but they lose sight of him. Other police officers converge on the scene to search for this armed suspect. They ultimately find the suspect hiding by a house, with the pistol and a big bag of marijuana in arm’s reach, with the suspect’s blood on both the pistol and the drugs. The police immediately call the paramedics to help the suspect, Mr. Ball, who is alive at this point.
Some other highlights of the statement are:
* Four MBI investigators testified Boykin acted in self-defense as there was a gun pointed at the police officer (p.7)
* The State Medical Examiner testified:
As noted in my autopsy report, Mr. Ball had two gunshot wounds, one to the posterior aspect of the right arm and one to his right hip. These two gunshot wounds are consistent with the fact that Mr. Ball, when he was shot, was turning his body with a pistol in his right hand, to face the shooter.* Police discovered over 5 grams of cocaine, 93 hydrocodone pills, 80 xanax pills, weed, and a scale. He was already out on bond for selling coke. "He knew that his bond would be revoked if captured," wrote Mr. Reynolds.
* Boykin passed a polygraph test.
The statement is posted below.
38 comments:
The sooner we can disarm cops and white supremacists the better for everyone.
None of that other stuff matters. Ball was a young Black man who was getting his life together. He was shot because he was black and the police are always going to make up a narrative to demonize him. How do we know he really had a gun? How do we know his drugs were not planted on him? How do we know they were not targeting Ball? They knew he was getting his life together and might one day be mayor, senator, or even president, so they had to stop him! Justice for Ball!
I’m running from the police and keep a bag of weed in my hand?
Ball isn’t alive to take a lie detector test...
KF. Why are you bothering to post this? All you are doing is trying to inject some facts, or at least - some facts - into this issue.
Don't you know that facts don't matter? The only thing that matters is BLACK LIVES.!!
Get your act together KF - quit trying to mess with the narrative.
Boyd was a black man. He was stopped by the cops and was shot.
So it is very clear to everybody that can march straight that this poor black man was shot because he was black and because the cop was white.
Nothing else matters. Only the black life.
Cue the racists and revisionists.
Did MBI raid Boykin's house or check his internet history for evidence of white supremacy? Did he own white sheets, confederate memorabilia, or a state flag?
They didn't bother to investigate. The blue wall surrounded him, is currently protecting him.
This is why we protest.
Let me quote Red, as it relates to Ball:
"Everyone at Shawshank is innocent."
For the first time in modern Mississippi history, an actual discussion of removal from office and what that looks like is being had from Columbus to the Capitol
Has anyone seen Lynn? Gov Reece’s has spoken on the subject of the protests, why not Lynn? It’s her mess. She was elected to do a job not hide
Here's what this boils down to: Collum is jealous of Chokwe. Period. Case closed. Bank on it. Write it down. Own it.
So, is the Black Lives Matter movement seriously suggesting that drug dealers who point at guns should be discussed in the same breath as George Floyd?
Seriously, has anyone actually seen the Attorney General? For all we know, she has been kidnapped by protestors.
I'm just happy the cop wasn't hurt....
It has been years since I've heard any news reporter speak of the five police officers murdered at the BLM rally in Dallas in 2016.
Cold blooded murders of cops doesn't fit the current narrative.
I would rather see 1000 dead cops a year than ever see another black man killed by cops. Black males are less than 6% of the population and deserve total protection. Honestly, they didn't ask to be brought here.
jim wade comment: 'just because the guy was killed is not enough to make a criminal case''.....................but it was enough to get him indicted and put through the criminal justice system grinder. another example of prosecutors who are fond of saying.....''you may beat the rap, but you aint gonna beat the ride''
You know it could actually be that Ball was a criminal who was going to try to shoot an officer and was justifiably shot
" So, is the Black Lives Matter movement seriously suggesting that drug dealers who point at guns should be discussed in the same breath as George Floyd? ?
Some are.
(The same segment calling for the abolishment of local Law Enforcement agencies).
Thank Gawd, the intelligent BLM leaders are calling Bullshit.
Any intelligent person understands what happened to Floyd was horrible. Getting rid of local Law Enforcement would be one thousand times worse for the "so called" disenfranchised
innocent communities.
Well, well, well. Is it possible that 99% of police shootings/scuffles that end with the suspect dead are justified?
George Floyds death was one of the 1 percent--yes. Protest that peacefully-yes.
lump all people who die confronting law enforcement with Mr Floyd? no way.
2:30, in corporate America and in government, a company executive and certainly a state's Chief Legal Officer doesn't publicly respond to bullshit like this. By doing so only enhances the credibility of the protester's argument.
"You know it could actually be that Ball was a criminal who was going to try to shoot an officer and was justifiably shot "
Oh dear, even suggesting that make you a racist.
Yes, 4:54 . . . I'm being very facetious.
Lol if she was a CEO in corporate America she would have tanked the stock value in the last two weeks. Whether the killing was justified or not, dismissing the case during a moment of national backlash shows a lack of a freakish clue. She needs to surround herself with professionals, preferable one’s who have seen the inside of a court room and didn’t take an abbreviated bar exam due to COVID 19
If this was corporate America, I’d sell short.
Play stupid games, win stupid prizes. QUIT BEATING UP ON OUR LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS!
I am so glad this came out. This is the best article I’ve read on the matter yet. He was a known drug dealer. This guy has a rap sheet. This officer did what any trained officer would do. I don’t know why people are making such an uproar suddenly when no one seemed to give a damn the last 4 and a half years about the criminal involved, people are just acting out because they want attention and a reason to act a fool.
If someone pointed a gun at me i would hope i had the courage shoot first as well. If it’s my life or theirs it sure won’t be mine by the grace of God.
I’m glad we finally got an AG that had some sense and knew this case was BS. A woman had more balls than the last AG
7:38 - I agree with most of your post until you credit the AG for having sense and making this determination. All she did was sign off on it. Never practiced law or been in a courtroom in her life other than a couple of times working bonds. Why didn't you point out that it was extremely bad timing (lack of sense?) for this to be done at this particular time?
Well being as we have been in lockdown with the states officials offices closed i assumed the decision may have been made previously and was released when the offices opened since it fell on the same day. And why should this officer have to continue to suffer and have his name ran through the dirt just because of the sad incident in Minnesota?? I’m sure all officers and everyone else in America agrees the Minnesota cop is a pos and deserves to rot in prison but that has nothing to do with this officer. It being released now is just another thing for people to complain about, which they woulda done anyways . Also she may have just signed off on it, i don’t know but i know she put in in someone’s hands and had to looked into in a few months which is more than anyone else did in years. She gave that officer a chance for the truth to come out finally when no one else did. So in my opinion she the s***.
Ball killed himself. You’d be a fool to believe Ball didn’t pull his weapon on the officer. At some point, it’s supposed to make sense.
11:48
Why the timing? Because she has a building full of attorneys but she is letting the one non attorney make these calls. JG recently asked the difference between a lawyer and an attorney.
Sometimes the Cops are wrong (like Minneapolis) sometimes they are right. They have a tough job have to make some tough calls in split seconds all the time knowing they could be shot any second. There are bad cops there are bad attorneys bad doctors etc. Bad FBI People. Lets not throw out the 99% good for the 1% bad. The Two biggest changes I see need to happen is when you have a cop like the one In Minneapolis who has numerous complaints lets get him gone. Don't hide behind the union. Also other cops when you see a coworker messing up do something. For the Blacks when you are pulled over dont run, or argue just do what you are asked. For everyone Else follow the golden rule treat others as you wish to be treated. We are in this together lets get along be civil
The "Toxic Tort's son lost the "Ball" on this one.However, there is still a chance to bring justice to Mary Sue Shields who was falsely accused, tried and sentenced to life without parole for a drunken New Years eve barroom fight on the dance floor at a local nightclub in his district. Refusing to dance with the drunken Martin a fight ensued and Martin was hit with the bar stool and ended up on the floor.
Shields did NOT bring that bar stool into the club that New Years eve night.She left the dance floor and walked home.
Forrest Algood charged Shields with first degree murder. Dr. Haynes testified at trial that Martin's underlying health problems were the CAUSE of the heart attack. A case of Felony Murder? Where was the Felony? It was self defense!
The George Floyd autopsy report from the State coroner in Minnesota reads almost verbatim to Hayne's "Martin's Report. The jury found her guilty as charged and the judge sentenced Shields to life without parole. She appealed once and lost. Checkout Findlaw Mary Sue Shilds vs, State of Mississippi
I don't do FACEBOOK but there is a ENOUGH IS ENOUGH: Free Mary Sue Shields.
DA Colom is in way over his head.
Apparently the Truth Seekers at the Innocent Project do not get involved in non-DNA cases.
Maybe the cop’s story is true and maybe it’s not. I’m certainly not willing to take their word for anything anymore. He would come up with the exact same story no matter what really happened and his fellow cops wouldn’t dare to cross his story or the blue line. Unless there is video evidence or non biased witnesses, it’s one guys story and that’s it.
So why not let it go to trial and trust OUR justice system...or "without prejudice"??? We ask our Black friends to 'pull their pants up, act right, and trust that the system is fair'...You know the whole 'but they're criminals' narrative... but we aren't willing to do the same?
Enough evidence to bring to a grand jury... based on evidence, grand jury indicts... Prosecutor(s): Not only "CLEAR CASE of self-defense" but we never want to even consider new evidence.
ONLY in Mississippi.
P.S. Mr. Reynolds can take that polygraph $hit somewhere else. Polygraphs are about as reliable as an ashtray on a motorbike. Just ask Christine Blasey Ford.
I think it is evident that the officer acted in self defense. Well here comes Hood with his hit man Stanley Alexander. Stanley took Frank Melton to court and lost. He took Robert Schuler to court more than once and lost, one of those cases was in Rankin. He has taken a number of police officers to court and lost. Hell he tried a white officer in Hinds County for corruption and lost. Why? There was no evidence of wrong doing. Stanley knew this and still tried to convict this officer, however he did get a Grand Jury to indict. The ole saying you can indict a ham sandwich is very true. Thank God he is not the DA!
The double standard that exists is amazing...you say we are all different, don’t treat us the same but you want to say all cops are the same. You are worse that what you hate
So, there was no chance the officers could have recognized the " runner" or learned his name from those remaining in the car so he could have been arrested later?
No possibility of no risk policing tool to the officers or the person fleeing?
So, fleeing or resisting arrest or suspicion should always give officers a green light to inflict severe bodily harm or the death penalty? Or, a green light only when some evidence is found later of a weapon at the scene or is suspecting a weapon is ok too then?
So tired of these " either/or' extremes with no thought of alternatives.
307 is the same guy who would sue the department when his (fill in the blank family member) is shot and killed by the guy running from the cops saying they should have caught him...
" Pointed "Loaded Pistol" at Boykin"
Good.
One should never "point" an unloaded weapon at anyone.
The release of the four prime suspects by DA Colom in the shotgun murder of Kris Haywood in Macon by the accused shooter Jonathan Shumaker stands a good chance of being permanent due to lack of a speedy trial. The four spent two years in custody during Forrest Algoods reign and almost four years under Colom. Colom claims his investigators found new cellphone evidence that exhonorates the four suspects.
Sarah Fowler was on this case but seems to have dropped the ball. Fowler once had a weekly colomn in the local COLUMBUS PACKET. A Menonite living across from the murder scene heard the gunshots and saw a person emerge from the quickstop and walked slowly away with a weapon slung across the shoulder.
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