Al Sharpton demands justice for Hunter Brittain, AP reports. On June 23, a bad sheriff’s deputy, who was white, fatally shot Brittan, who was also white, during a traffic stop outside of Little Rock, Arkansas. Brittain, aged 17, was unarmed.
Although the local sheriff fired the bad cop who killed Hunter Brittain, AP also indicates that “authorities have released few details about the shooting.” Meaning, there’s still a lack of transparency. Clearly, unjust rules like qualified immunity (QI) prevent transparency.
“The issue of policing is not about Black and white. It’s about right and wrong,” Al Sharpton said. The civil rights activist spoke at Beebe High School, where Brittain was a senior.
Also in attendance: George Floyd’s family attorneys, Ben Crump and Devon Jacob. Both attorneys now represent Brittain’s family.
At the packed auditorium, Sharpton, Crump, and Jacob urged “support across racial lines” for police reform. As did Hunter Brittain’s family. Furthermore, they all want to end qualified immunity. They believe abolishing the court-created rule is necessary for true police reform. In fact, AP remarked that Hunter Brittain’s uncle, Jesse Brittain, “received a standing ovation” when he called for an end to QI.
This response highlights how public support for ending QI continues to surge. Americans from Arkansas to Utah to Michigan want to hold bad cops accountable. And they know there can be no accountability with qualified immunity.
“[We] will not stop advocating until we have justice for you, Hunter,” Jesse Brittain said at his nephew’s memorial. “And also justice for all of our other brothers and sisters dying at the hands of law enforcement hired to protect and serve us around this country.”
Read the entire article about Al Sharpton demanding justice for Hunter Brittain here.