Leonard Parker
Leonard Parker Jr., 53, died on February 1, 2020, when he was shot by a Gulfport, Mississippi, officer responding to a 911 call.
The incident unfolded after Gulfport police had received multiple 911 calls about a single address. The responding officer Jason Cuevas was walking up to the location around 3 a.m. when a car began driving toward him.
The officer fired at the vehicle and hit Parker, killing him with a single shot. Officials did not share additional details about the circumstances of the shooting.
In April 2021, officer Cuevas who fatally shot Parker was cleared by a Grand Jury. In June 2021 Parker’s wife filed wrongful death suit against Gulfport and officers. The lawsuit seeks compensatory and punitive damages, attorneys’ fees, and costs to cover medical and funeral expenses and other relief.
MASS MEDIA ABOUT THE CASE:
“He was still breathing, and I remember, still he has to be handcuffed,” Cuevas said. “So I went and handcuffed him, and rolled him over on his back to assess and see if maybe there was some way I could provide medical attention through a tourniquet or whatever.”
“The actions of defendant Jason Cuevas were objectively unreasonable and were undertaken intentionally with willful indifference to Leonard Parker, Jr.’s constitutional rights,” says the lawsuit.
CASE STATUS:
The initiative group has requested the clarification from US President Joseph Biden and Attorney General Merrick Garland. The initiative group believes it is important to fight against police brutality and, if necessary, will provide legal and financial assistance to the family of the victim.
Letter to Biden
Letter to Garland
