On Tuesday, a Shelby County Grand Jury declined to indict Schilling despite a recommendation by Shelby County District Attorney Amy Weirich to indict the officer for voluntary manslaughter and employment of a firearm during the commission of a unsafe felony.
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Stewart was shot on July 17th by Schilling after the vehicle Stewart was a passenger in was pulled over for having a headlight out.
Officer Connor Schilling returned to the squad auto to arrest and handcuff Stewart after a warrant was verified, and Stewart kicked the door and attacked the officer, beating Schilling with the handcuffs, police said. Stewart was placed in the back of a squad auto without handcuffs as the officer checked on active warrants for him, authorities said.
Schilling shot Stewart with his duty weapon during the struggle, police said.
District Attorney Amy Weirich did not tell reporters why she made the recommendation for the indictment, but said she had already been in touch with Stewart’s relatives regarding the grand jury’s decision.
U.S. Rep. Steve Cohen called for a U.S. Justice Department investigation of the incident to determine if there were civil rights violations. “I hate that it was my son”.
Following Weirich’s news briefing, the NAACP along with United Against Violence 901 coalition held a press conference to address the public on how Stewart’s family felt about the situation and the community at large regarding the unfortunate news which left a young man dead because of a traffic stop.
After the meeting, Armstrong said Schilling remains off the job pending an administrative hearing that could come as early as next week. “The medical examiner’s report shows Stewart died of two gunshots wounds”. “This city has had enough, the Stewart family, Williams family, has had enough of Connor Schilling and we need justice”.
“Quite frankly, the evidence is not going to change”, Quinn said. “You take your time trying to indict somebody, but then my son is in the ground”.
Williams said he has been waiting for justice since his son was killed but now he has a message for the justice department. “He’s been buried long enough so we should have had justice way before then”.
John Keith Perry is a lawyer representing the victim’s mother, Mary Stewart.
As for Darrius Stewart’s father, he says he just wants justice.
“Do better. Make justice a little stronger than what you all are doing”, Williams said.
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Meantime an administrative hearing to determine Schilling’s fate on the force is scheduled for next week.
