The family of the man who was shot and killed by police in a confrontation last week have just got the results of an
independent autopsy that they said goes against the story being told by police.
Police: Deputies shoot...
Last week, D’Angelo Stallworth, a 28-year-old father of three, was shot and killed at the Westside apartment of one of his children’s mothers.
Police were serving an eviction notice at another apartment when they confronted Stallworth.
Police said he pushed a gun into the chest of a police officer and after a struggle, the two officers shot and killed Stallworth.
Eric Block, the attorney hired by Stallworth’s family, said they just want to hear from the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office deputies involved in the shooting so they can get their facts right about the case.
"It would be kind of be nice to hear what they have to say and whatever they have to say they've said it. Assuming they've said anything. And if not, then tell us that," said Block.
JSO has told the family that because it is still an ongoing investigation and they would not talk about what happened.
According to Block, the
Duval County Medical Examiner finished the autopsy Thursday but hasn't released the report. He said the family decided to hire a private doctor to do a separate autopsy.
Block would not provide us with the name of the doctor, saying only that he is licensed, board certified and specializes in pathology.
Block said that in the independent autopsy,
they found a lot of inconsistency with the story that JSO told. Specifically, police originally said that Stallworth pushed a gun into an officer’s chest and took off down a flight of stairs.
When he reached the bottom of the stairs, police said Stallworth turned back toward police and, fearing for their lives, opened fire.
According to the independent autopsy though, Stallworth was shot multiple times in the back with the fatal shot being one of those.
“There was more than one shot. There was more than one shot from behind. The fatal shot was from behind. And perhaps most perplexing is that the fatal shot was not only from behind, but the fatal shot and other shots were from an upward angle. Remember the police are shooting down, if he's standing up, they're shooting down at him. The entry wounds are from an upper angle,” said Block.
Block said that the family was told this new information and they are very upset.
News4Jax Crime and Safety Analyst Gil Smith said the Homicide squad does the initial investigation and then it is turned over to the State Attorney's Office for a second investigation.
Smith said the Sheriff's Office does not release any information to anyone, not even the family, during an active investigation in order to avoid compromising the case, which is standard protocol.
And I bet Jax isn't the only city this affected by this. I mean, of course it isn't.. as you said.. it's just that many of the past and present murders of Blacks just haven't been caught on camera. It's disgusting that it has to come to that to even garner attention.
