Sterling's family and attorneys say they've learned that officer Salamoni threatened to kill sterling before the shots were fired, they say the case isn't over. Lake kneels on Sterling's left arm while Salamoni tries to gain control of Sterling's right arm.
The DOJ report recounts the interaction between Sterling and the police officers, which lasted 90 seconds, step-by step. A prosecutor from the attorney general's office will also be assigned to the case.
Landry warned that the state investigation into the actions of officers Blane Salamoni and Howie Lake "could take a considerable amount of time".
Attorneys for Sterling's family have called on Landry to take the case and charge the officers.
Cellphone video showed the officers tasered, tackled and pinned Sterling to the ground.
"Open up your heart, your eyes, and give us the justice that we deserve", said Quinyetta McMillon, the mother of Sterling's oldest son.
"Given these circumstances, the evidence can not establish beyond a reasonable doubt that it did not appear to Officer Salamoni that Sterling was reaching for his pocket".
"Given the totality of the circumstances - that the officers had been fighting with Sterling and had attempted less-than-lethal methods of control; that they knew Sterling had a weapon; that Sterling had reportedly brandished a gun at another person; and that Sterling was much larger and stronger than either officer - the Department can not prove either that the shots were unconstitutional or that they were willful", the Justice Department said in its statement.
"There has already been a very thorough investigation, where the type of work that the state police would do had it been the principal agency investigating this matter from the outset, has already been done", Edwards said.
EU's Barnier says wants Brexit talks without 'aggressivity'
The leader of Ireland's Labour party, Brendan Howlin, said Brexit had set back trade by a generation. Barnier stressed: "I want us to reach a deal".
- Salamoni fires three shots into Sterling's chest, rolls onto on his back, facing Sterling's back, with his weapon drawn.
Sterling's aunt, Sandra Sterling, said Tuesday night of the Justice Department's then-reported decision, "It's insane".
"It just hurts so bad", she said. "They are signaling that they do not want to hold any police officer individually or any police department as an institution accountable", Abdullah said. A man has died, a father, a nephew has died.
"I don't think we can afford to let this kind of action happen in our state and nobody respond".
For numerous same reasons described above, the Department of Justice concluded the evidence was insufficient to prove the officers' actions were a willful violation of the Fourth Amendment. The decision was officially announced Wednesday after it had been reported the day before by several major news outlets.
Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards echoed the mayor's sentiments, saying it was "disrespectful to tell the family that they could expect to know first", adding, "I do hope there is an investigation into how that leak occurred".
A lengthy summary of the Justice Department's findings released on Wednesday did not include that detail.
"Life and death decisions were being made in split seconds. The state police will assist as requested", Edwards said when asked about the state police's involvement in the state investigation. U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions has pledged to hold law enforcement officers responsible for civil rights offenses, but he also has said the Obama administration unfairly targeted police in such investigations.
Comments