By Brian Hews
Autopsy findings support family’s demand for prosecution of LA County Sheriff’s Deputy who shot unarmed homeless man.
On July 5, 2015 an LA County Sheriff’s deputy shot and killed Johnny Anderson, a 42-year-old unarmed homeless man in Hawaiian Gardens.
In his report, the deputy alleged that he shot Anderson because he reached for the deputy’s gun as the deputy reached over a fence.
But, according to Andersen’s family, an independent autopsy disputes the sheriff deputy’s version.
An independent doctor hired by the family will report that the unarmed Anderson was standing at least six feet from the deputy’s gun when the shot was fired.
A report sent to Hews Media Group-Community News indicated that Andersen family will, at a forensic recreation of the shooting, present their evidence to support their demand that District Attorney Jackie Lacey prosecute the officer for homicide.
The shooting occurred as the deputy was searching for Anderson. Andersen was hiding in the side-yard of the house adjacent to the location where he and his wife were staying.
The police arrived in response to a call related to squatters at the location. Anderson was unarmed and fled in fear of the police.
He was shot and killed as he stood on the opposite side of a wooden fence with the deputy reaching over a wooden gate to shoot Anderson.
One week later hundreds protested the shooting. See story, click here.
In an emailed release, a spokesperson for the Andersen family said, “The Los Angeles County District Attorney’s office has failed to prosecute police shootings, and has not brought a homicide case against any deputy of the Sheriff’s Department for an on-duty shooting. Even in the most egregious cases such as when deputies have shot suspects in the back under suspicious circumstances, the District Attorney’s office has failed to prosecute the shooting deputies. Essentially, the District Attorney’s office has declared a de facto grant of absolute immunity to Sheriff’s deputies for on-duty shooting unarmed suspects,”
“The family of Johnny Anderson demand that the District Attorney’s office show an impartial and honest respect for the law and charge the deputy who killed Anderson.”
Anderson’s wife and brother, accompanied by their lawyers, will present the autopsy report and the forensic animation of the shooting at a press conference Thursday September 17 in Montebello, where they will demand the prosecution of the deputy.
The press conference will take place at Casillas and Associates at 12 p.m. noon, located at 3500 W. Beverly Blvd., in Montebello.
I’d like to know more about the drowning of the African American dad, Father’s Day 2014, as we still have not heard much post details, and there are still no drowning apparatuses placed around the Cerritos regional Park Lake, to prevent drowning etc. Hawaiian Gardens has always had a hi rate of killings, like to know why this city is not incorporated in to larger surrounding city.
Police and sheriff nationally have very low rating by USA, this HG only deeply tarnishes the sword of hatred felt by many.