Sharpton, family seek change a year after Stephon Clark died
Posted March 18, 2019 1:31 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — The Rev. Al Sharpton is calling for California to change how it responds to police killings of civilians on the anniversary of the fatal shooting of an unarmed black man in Sacramento.
Monday marks a year since two police officers killed 22-year-old Stephon Clark as they responded to vandalism reports.
State and local prosecutors aren’t charging the officers, saying police feared for their lives because they thought Clark had a gun. He had only a cellphone.
Sharpton and family attorney Ben Crump joined Clark’s family on the Capitol steps to call for lawmakers to tighten the standards for when police can legally kill and require police shootings to go before a grand jury.
Police unions are opposed to changing the use-of-force standard but want to enhance training.
Kathleen Ronayne, The Associated Press
