Kenya McCarty and Avery Willis are charged with second-degree murder and James Land is charged with manslaughter
A Mississippi grand jury indicted three former police officers earlier this month in connection with the death of Keith Murriel, the Black man who died after he was pinned down and repeatedly shocked with stun guns by officers who were arresting him on New Year’s Eve.
Hinds County District Attorney Jody Owens made the announcement this week, charging Kenya McCarty and Avery Willis with second-degree murder, and James Land with manslaughter, according to the Associated Press, CBS News and WLBT.
Jackson City officials also released extensive body-camera footage of the incident.
Murriel, 41, died in police custody on Dec. 31, 2022, after the ex-members of the Jackson Police Department arrested him for allegedly trespassing at a hotel, CBS News reports. Former Chief James Davis initially said Murriel had a “medical emergency” and died on the scene.
However, Murriel family attorney Daryl K. Washington asked for the body-camera footage to be shared because he said it would not fit that narrative, WAPT-16 reports.
The now-released body-camera footage shows authorities — who are allegedly the former officers —tasing Murriel numerous times as they attempted to handcuff him. Once he was in the police vehicle, but his legs were not, they tased him again. During the footage, Murriel is heard telling the officers to stop.
The body-camera footage shows that Murriel was then left in the back of the vehicle for a length of time, the Associated Press reports. When an ambulance arrived, he was no longer breathing. He was transported to a local hospital where he was pronounced dead.
“The amount of force that was used on that night was totally unnecessary,” Washington told WAPT-16. “And the sad thing about this is that Keith died a slow and painful death.”
“Although the family would much rather have Keith here with them, there is a level of comfort knowing that the officers have been indicted for the egregious crime they committed last December,” Washington told ABC News. “We know that this is only the first step in a long process, but we are encouraged by the thorough investigation that was conducted and believe the officers will be held fully accountable for their wrongful actions.”
WLBT reports that Murriel’s cause of death was cardiac arrhythmia with the manner being homicide.
It is unclear if McCarty, Willis or Land have entered a plea to the charges. Francis Springer, an attorney for McCarty told the Associated Press that her client plans to plead not guilty.
“Ms. McCarty doesn’t believe she is guilty of the crime for which she is indicted or of any other crime,” Springer said in the emailed statement, the outlet reports. “She will enter a not-guilty plea,”