Topline
An Ohio grand jury on Friday voted against charging Columbus police officer Nicholas Reardon in the fatal April 2021 shooting of 16-year-old Ma’Khia Bryant, Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost (R) confirmed, closing off a case that captured national attention after a video circulated of Reardon shooting Bryant while she appeared to wield a knife.
A funeral service is held for 16-year-old Ma’Khia Bryant at the First Church of God on April 30, … [+]
Key Facts
Special prosecutors Tim Merkle and Gary Shroyer announced the grand jury decision in a statement to the Associated Press, remarking that Ohio law permits use of deadly force by a police officer in response to an imminent threat of death or serious injury.
In a statement following Friday’s announcement, Bryant’s family said Reardon should have had “other non-deadly options available to deal with this situation,” and urged for safety reforms to Ohio’s foster-care system.
Investigators from Yost’s office presented findings on the case to the Franklin County prosecutor’s office in July, after which the district attorney appointed Merkle and Shroyer, citing a conflict of interest because the county prosecutor’s office also serves as legal counsel for the local child services office.
Key Background
Reardon fired four shots at Bryant as she wielded a knife at two people, in what some of Bryant’s relatives described as self-defense against a group of women who had confronted her. Reardon, who is white, shot Bryant, who was Black, just minutes before the conviction of former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin for murder was announced, and her death sparked immediate protests and outrage in Columbus. Without remarking on Reardon’s culpability, White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki noted the disproportionate struggles faced by Black and Latino communities and by children in foster care.
Crucial Quote
“We believe that the tragedy that ultimately resulted in Ma’Khia’s death started long before she was shot and killed by a Columbus police officer,” Michelle Martin, a lawyer representing Bryant’s family, told the New York Times. “There must be full-scale changes made to Ohio’s foster care system to ensure that this doesn’t happen to another child.”
Further Reading
“Police Officer Who Shot 16-Year-Old Ma’Khia Bryant Identified” (Forbes)
Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/zacharysmith/2022/03/11/no-charges-for-ohio-police-officer-who-fatally-shot-16-year-old-makhia-bryant/