The president of San Francisco's Board of Supervisors moved ahead with his pledge to call on the California attorney general and U.S. Department of Justice to review District Attorney Brooke Jenkins' decision not to bring criminal charges in a controversial fatal shooting at Walgreens.
Following the release of security camera video of the shooting, some members of the board of supervisors said more needs to be done.
"The video that we have now all seen raises more questions than answers," said Supervisor Aaron Peskin, the author of the resolution.
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He wants criminal charges against Michael Anthony, the guard who said Brown was shoplifting and repeatedly threatened to stab him during the struggle.
"With a video that has no sound, audio to it, it is difficult to have context to what is going on," said Jenkins. "And that is why we must listen to the security guard statement. The witness statements.”
Mayor London Breed said she wholeheartedly supports Jenkins.
"My hope is to make sure that there's full transparency, and that we get the kind of accountability in any case that will to serve to help the public and the family understand exactly why a decision was made," she said.
Defense Attorney John Burris, representing the Brown family, does not support the DA's decision.
"There was no justification for using deadly force, particularly by the security guard who was in fact the aggressor the entire event," he said.
He added that regardless of what the supervisors decide, he’ll be contacting state and federal law enforcement agencies himself in the hopes of criminal charges. And no matter that outcome, he said there will be a civil lawsuit.
"Walgreens hired the security company, and gave directions on what to do. The question is whether those were proper directions. Were they properly trained? And the officer and security company, that’s easy! It was a wrongful shooting!" said Burris.
The resolution introduced Tuesday will have a full public hearing next week. If it passes, and the state or federal government decides to press charges, the matter will then be out of the hands of Jenkins.
