A former Ohio cop, Ricky Anderson, who had served for 30 years with the Columbus Division of Police, has been indicted by an area grand jury for the deadly taking pictures of 20-year-old Donovan Lewis virtually a yr in the past.
Anderson faces fees of homicide and reckless murder in reference to the taking pictures that occurred on August 30, 2022, on Sullivant Avenue.
On that day, officers have been on the scene to apprehend Lewis, who had a number of warrants, together with fees associated to home violence and assault.
Physique-camera footage from the incident confirmed Anderson opening the door to a bed room in an condominium and instantly firing at Lewis, who was in mattress. No weapon was discovered on Lewis, who gave the impression to be holding a vape pen on the time.
Lewis was handcuffed, taken out of the condominium, and obtained life-saving measures, however he succumbed to the gunshot wound at a close-by hospital. The coroner’s report confirmed that Lewis died inside minutes of being shot within the stomach, inflicting injury to inside organs earlier than the bullet lodged in his pelvis.
Toxicology testing indicated the presence of nicotine and THC in his blood, but it surely didn’t affirm whether or not he was below the affect on the time of the taking pictures.
The officer had a historical past of citizen complaints, together with points associated to using power and violating police guidelines, courting again to 2001. He retired from the police division in March 2023, in unhealthy standing, as a result of ongoing prison and administrative investigation.
Robert Gresham, one of many household’s attorneys, stated, “The household has been asking for officer Anderson to be fired since August 2022, when the taking pictures occurred, and it was ‘cowardly’ for him to retire.”
A warrant has now been issued for Anderson’s arrest.
Anderson’s legal professional, Mark Collins, stated the case ought to revolve across the causes behind Anderson’s determination to make use of lethal power and never if he used it.
“As we progress by means of litigation, the proof will present that it was as a result of he was justified in doing so,” Collins stated.
The Franklin County indictment comes after a radical investigation by the Ohio Bureau of Felony Investigation, The case was offered to the county prosecutor’s workplace in December 2022.
Lewis’ mom, Rebecca Duran was relieved by the grand jury’s determination, stating that they’ve all the time believed Anderson broke the regulation by taking pictures her unarmed son whereas he lay in his mattress.
“CPD bodycam video confirmed this clearly, and nothing has modified in virtually a yr,” attorneys representing Duran stated.
“Though Mr. Lewis’ household is happy that his killer will quickly face a jury of his friends, they’re extremely disenchanted that it took so lengthy to come back to this conclusion within the first place,” they continued. “Mr. Lewis’ household understands that though there are a lot of good officers doing their finest to guard residents when an officer violates coverage or breaks the regulation, they should be held accountable.”
“As prosecutors pursue Mr. Anderson within the prison case, we are going to proceed to combat for justice and accountability in our civil case. Our hope is that no different mum or dad has to bury their little one as the results of a reckless act by a member of regulation enforcement.”
Nevertheless, the Columbus chapter of the Fraternal Order of Police argued that the grand jury had a slanted view of the proof within the case.
“Whereas the grand jury performs an necessary position in our system of justice, the grand jurors solely hear the proof the prosecutor needs it to listen to,” union govt vice chairman Brian Metal, stated partially. “There is no such thing as a protection legal professional, no cross-examination, no decide, basically no guidelines.”
