Salaythis Melvin
In August 2020, 22-year-old Salaythis Melvin was shot and killed by a police officer in Orange County, Florida.
The police approached a group of people who were standing near a mall. According to the police, one of the men had a warrant out for his arrest. As soon as the young men noticed the approaching police officers, they started to run away.
The police started chasing them and saw Melvin. Police officers say he had a gun. The footage from body camera shows a police officer shooting several times in the back of Melvin. The police tried to handcuff him. A few minutes later he died.
In June 2021, Melvin’s relatives filed a lawsuit against the city and the police department, accusing them of using excessive force. In January 2022, the District Attorney said that the police officer who shot Melvin would not be charged.
MASS MEDIA ABOUT THE CASE:
“It is black letter law that police may not use lethal force to stop a person from fleeing unless the person represents an immediate danger to the officer or to the public, and I see nothing in this video that suggests Mr. Melvin represented a threat to anyone when the officer shot him,” said Clark Neily, senior vice president for legal studies at the Cato Institute.
Reason
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
