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Vol. 79/No. 31 September 7, 2015
‘Keep fighting’ says family of
Black teen killed by Ga. cop
BY SAM MANUEL
ATLANTA — “As long as I have breath I will continue to fight to get
justice,” Freda Waiters told supporters speaking at a press conference
on the steps of the county courthouse here Aug. 7. The previous day a
23-member grand jury for the second time let a Union City cop walk free
in the fatal shooting of her 19-year-old son Ariston Waiters more than
three years ago.
A week later the federal prosecutor for Georgia’s Northern District told
Waiters and her attorneys that his office will open an investigation
into the shooting.
Cop Luther Lewis said he chased Waiters Dec. 14, 2011, when he saw him
running after getting reports of teenagers fighting with shots fired. He
drew his gun and ordered the Black teenager to lie down, which he did.
Lewis shot Waiters twice in the back as he lay on the ground face down
being handcuffed. There were no witnesses and the cop claimed later that
Waiters tried to grab for his gun.
Fulton County District Attorney Paul Howard reopened the case after
police lieutenant Chris McElroy, who had been in charge on the scene,
came forward and contradicted Lewis’ story. He also implicated the
police chief who covered for Lewis.
“I think Mr. Waiters died senselessly and his family deserves some
closure,” McElroy told the press. “It’s not sat right with me from the
very first time I arrived on the scene.”
Supporters of the Waiters family have continued to protest and
circulated a petition demanding Lewis be fired and for the removal of
the police chief.
Attorneys and the investigator for the Waiters family said that while
the new evidence leading to reopening the case was strong, Georgia law
allows cops, unlike family members and their attorneys, to be present
during the entire grand jury proceedings. Lewis made an emotional
90-minute statement to close the hearing. Under state law he could not
then be questioned or cross examined.
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