DETROIT – Several organizations are teaming up in protest of the man who was by a bailiff during an eviction in Palmer Park.
Detroit police are saying they won’t release the incident’s body cam, but Local 4 heard from the prosecutor’s office that a warrant request has been issued in this situation.
“The nature of the building he was living in, where there was only two people left in it, no need at all to carry out this kind of violent eviction,” said former attorney Bob Day, who is now with Detroit Eviction Defense.
A group of about 40 protesters marched from 36th District Court to Detroit police headquarters, speaking out against the shooting death of 45-year-old Sherman Lee Butler at the hands of the bailiff.
“Honestly, it hurts,” said Eduardo Gutierrez. “It hurts the fact that it could have been any one of us. I don’t live too far away from where he does. This is why my sister made this painting. This is why we feel so strong about this.”
Detroit police say Butler allegedly attacked the bailiff and lunged at him with a box cutter, leading to the fatal shots being fired. Those protesters say they want the body cam footage of the ordeal released.
“When the police say he attacked us, those are lies,” Day said. “Those are absolute lies. We believe that’s why they won’t release the footage, why they’re trying to cover this up.”
If anyone knows what it’s like to be evicted, it’s Taura Brown, who was kicked out from her tiny home back in the days when things turned chaotic when protesters wouldn’t let bailiffs carry out the eviction.
“I feel terrible about it,” said Brown. “And again, eviction is violence. And something needs to be done about it. You saw what happened at my eviction. They were threatening to shoot us. We were unarmed. Now somebody has shot a tenant.”
Local 4 received a statement from the Detroit Police Department regarding body cam footage being released.
“As a general matter, the department does not release video evidence related to fatal shootings. Last year, Chief White implemented a new policy specifically authorizing the release of relevant video footage from officer-involved shootings involving DPD officers. This decision was not based on any ordinance or state statute. It was a policy decision of the department.
In contrast to other officer-involved shootings where video evidence was released, this incident did not involve a DPD employee using deadly force. Accordingly, video evidence of this incident will remain confidential in accordance with DPD procedures to ensure the integrity of the warrant submission process and any prosecutorial efforts that may follow.”
Detroit Police Department