After nearly a year-long process into the shooting death of 73-year-old Homer resident Bernard Monroe, two Homer police officers will not be indicted.
Officer Tim Cox shot and killed Monroe Feb. 20, 2009. He and Officer Joey Henry, who was with Cox at the time of the shooting resigned in July 2009.
The two were cleared of their involvement in the fatal matter by a Claiborne grand jury Thursday.
After listening to more than 20 witnesses in two days, a Claiborne grand jury issued a no true bill in connection to the investigation Thursday.
However, it appears the officers’ legal disputes may not be over.
Reportedly, the Monroe family plans to file a civil suit.
“Our clients, the Monroe family, are very disappointed that the grand jury did not return an indictment,” Morris Dees, chief trial counsel for Southern Poverty Law Center, reportedly said.
“A civil suit will be filed next week on behalf of Monroe’s family,” Dees said.
In December 2009, Claiborne District Attorney Jonathan M. Stewart of Louisiana’s 2nd Judicial District filed a motion to recuse his office from the case. Instead, Stewart turned the case over to Attorney General Buddy Caldwell’s office.
According to Stewart, his office backed from the case for a couple of reasons, including a number of pending criminal cases in which Cox and Henry are witnesses.
In late 2009, the Rev. Willie Young, Sr., President of the National Advancement Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) Claiborne Branch said he was asked who he would rather see try the case, Stewart or the attorney general’s office?
At that time he said, “It does not matter, we just want justice. We are going to depend on Caldwell to do the right thing. We think there are enough facts that when the Attorney General presents the case it will bring forth a conviction.”
“The Monroe family and the community have been patient,” Young said. “We have to bring some closure to this. It is time for justice to be served.”
However, now that the two men have been cleared, some say they are not so sure justice has been served. The killing of Monroe, a mute black male by a white police officer has heightened the level of tensions between Homer’s black community and the police department for nearly a year.
Young said he believes there was criminal conduct involved, where Cox and Henry are concerned.
Reportedly, the shooting occurred at Monroe’s residence during the time of a family and friends get-together. According to reports, on the day of the ordeal, authorities chased Monroe’s 38-year-old son Sean to his father’s home. While chasing him out of the house, reportedly, the officer who was still inside, shot Monroe through a screen door.
Despite the chase, reportedly Sean was not placed under arrest at that time. As a result no charges were filed against him.
During the initial stages of the investigation some information indicated Monroe was armed the day of the shooting. Reportedly, a handgun was recovered at the scene.
However, eyewitnesses, which include some of Monroe’s relatives claim that Monroe was not holding a gun, but instead a sports drink bottle and the gun was planted at the scene.
Those entities responsible for investigating the case include the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Louisiana State Police, U.S. Department of Justice, the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the American Civil Liberties Union. In addition, NAACP launched a separate investigation.
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