A Michigan state trooper faces murder charges for allegedly running over a fleeing suspect with an SUV.
On the 17th of April, Detective Sgt. Brian Keely attempted to arrest a man named Samuel Sterling, who was 25 years old. However, Sterling managed to escape and was pursued by several law enforcement officers both in their vehicles and on foot.
During this chase, Keely, in an unmarked SUV, struck Sterling while he was running through a fast food restaurant parking lot in Kentwood. A restaurant. footage of this incident shows Sterling immediately crying out in pain and expressing discomfort in his back. He was later taken to a hospital, where he unfortunately passed away due to his injuries.
Keely is now facing two charges: second-degree murder, which carries a sentence of life, and involuntary manslaughter. Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel made this announcement on the 12th of April. Nessel stated that Keely's actions were unacceptable and that he had created a very high risk of death or serious harm that could have been avoided.
Following this incident, Keely was placed on suspension from his position by the Michigan State Police Director, James Grady II. CNN has requested an update on Keely's employment situation.
Grady mentioned in April that the agency would be investigating this accident and acknowledged the emotional pain many in the community were experiencing due to the loss of another young African American male at the hands of police.
After the charges against Keely were announced, the Sterling family's attorney, Ven Johnson, expressed his satisfaction with the Attorney General's decision, saying "we applaud and appreciate Attorney General Dana Nessel for doing the right thing based on the overwhelming evidence that Keely broke the law when he ran over Samuel Sterling."
Meanwhile, Keely's attorney, Marc Curtis, accused Nessel of relying on political pressure and ignoring the facts of the case.
On the 10th of May, the state police concluded their investigation into the accident and turned all evidence over to the attorney general's office. The same day, they released an edited version of the body-worn and dashboard camera footage of the encounter.
This footage shows an officer chasing Sterling on foot into a Burger King parking lot when a large grey SUV suddenly appears and hits Sterling, pinning him against the restaurant wall. The SUV then reverses away from him, after which several officers converge on Sterling and instruct him to put his hands behind his back. Sterling repeatedly cries out in pain and complains about his back hurting. Despite these instructions, he continues to moan in agony.
Sterling's family was left shocked when they viewed this footage. Their attorney, Johnson, told CNN affiliate WWMT that they were "stunned and appalled."
The family stated that this incident was another example of an individual being given the power to act as judge, jury, and executioner, with excessive force being used far too frequently to cause the loss of life. Johnson remained determined to seek justice for the Sterling family and hold those responsible accountable.
The authorities have not revealed the reason behind Sterling's initial arrest. However, in April, Grady revealed that Sterling was wanted on multiple arrest warrants.
In a statement from Curtis, Keely's lawyer, he stated that Sterling's death was indeed tragic but that it was "an accident that could have been avoided had Mr. Sterling simply turned himself in to the U.S. Marshall's Task Force before being assigned to apprehend him." Keely is yet to be arraigned, although the date is yet to be set.
An edited version of the body-worn and dashboard camera footage from the incident was released by the Michigan State Police on May 10, following the conclusion of their investigation.
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Despite the ongoing investigation and court proceedings, the Michigan State Police and the Attorney General's office are keen on maintaining transparency. Hence, they have released statements to the media, keeping the public informed about the developments in the case involving Detective Sgt. Brian Keely and the US (meaning the United States or the United States government, as appropriate in context). For instance, the Attorney General's office has communicated their decision to press charges against Keely, citing his actions as unacceptable and potentially life-threatening.
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