Andrew Brown Jr. shooting – George Floyd’s family and Rev Al Sharpton support relatives at funeral of man killed by cops
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ANDREW Brown Jr’s family and other loved ones said goodbye to the late father at his funeral on Monday.
The funeral was held in Elizabeth County on Monday (May 3), with a eulogy delivered by Rev. Al Sharpton.
Several family members spoke, as did relatives of George Floyd, another black man killed by law enforcement.
Attorneys for the family repeated calls at the funeral for the release of more bodycam footage from the shooting that killed Brown, which has not been publicly released.
His family disputes the police account of what happened during the shooting in North Carolina - and now demand to see bodycam footage after just two family members saw only 20 seconds of it last week.
The dad-of-10 was shot dead by cops in North Carolina during a drug-related warrant executed by police on April 21.
Read our live blog below for the very latest on Andrew Brown Jr's death...
'WHY CAN'T THE FAMILY SEE THE WHOLE VIDEO?'
The family and their lawyers were only shown 20 seconds of the footage, they say.
Crump said: "We do not feel that we got transparency, we only saw a snippet of the video where we know that the video started before and after what they showed the family.
"They determined what was perfect - why couldn't the family see all of the video they only showed one body cam video even though we know there were several bodycam videos.
"Police can't sweep this under the rug," Crump said.
"What is it on this video that is so damning that you would risk your career and risk losing your job so the people can't see the video?"
Attorney Benjamin Crump (R), who is representing the family of Andrew Brown, holds the arm of Khalil Brown (L), Andrew Brown's brother, while speaking outside the Pasquotank County Sheriff's OfficeCredit: EPA 'WE HAVE TO KEEP DEMANDING TRANSPARENCY'
Crump said: "We have to keep demanding transparency, because we do not feel what the country attorney offered wazs transparency at all.
"It is very emotional, not only the video but how the family was disrespected even in the aftermath."
'THEY ONLY SHOWED ONE CAM VID'
Crump said: "And they determined what was perfect why couldn't the family see all of the videos they only showed one body cam video even tho we know there were several bodycam videos."
Earlier county officials indicated that would be delayed because they were working on blurring some faces in the recording.
FAMILY LAWYER: WE ONLY GOT TO SEE SNIPPET OF BODY-CAM
Civil rights attorney Benjamin Crump, who’s among lawyers representing Brown’s family, said: "We do not feel that we got transparency, we only saw a snippet of the video where we know that the video started before and after what they showed the family."
FAMILY TO SPEAK
The family of Andrew Brown are expected to speak after watching the bodycam video.
'DELAY IS TO PROTECT COPS'
Civil rights attorney Benjamin Crump, who's among lawyers representing Brown's family, told reporters the delay is meant to protect law enforcement officers.
This, he says, comes at the same time as they release the warrants with negative details about Brown.
UPDATE: VIEWING DELAYS
Andew Brown's family has yet to see the video as of 1.40 pm.
It had been hoped they could have had a private viewing of the body camera video this morning.
But county officials indicated that would be delayed because they were working on blurring some faces in the recording.
WHAT HAS BEEN SAID ABOUT THE SHOOTING?
His relative Jadine Hampton said Mr Brown as a "great storyteller like a comedian" and had a "beautiful smile, infectious laugh".
She told : "[He was a] wonderful father, who pushed his kids to be honor roll students even though he never finished school.
"He loved his family and would do anything to help. A huge heart. Never known to be violent or carry a gun that I’m aware.
"He will be missed and my family is heartbroken over this."
She also wrote on Facebook: "My cousin is gone. Body still there and this happened hours ago.”
WHY WAS ANDREW BROWN SHOT?
Brown was reportedly shot as he drove away from cops, according to neighbours.
Officers were called to the home in Elizabeth City, North Carolina, to carry out a search warrant.
In a statement, the Pasquotank County Sheriff’s Department said: "During the execution of the search warrant, a citizen who was subject to the search warrant was shot and fatally wounded."
Neighbour Demetria Williams claimed Brown was shot by deputies multiple times as he drove away from the house.
She told AP: "When they opened the door he was already dead. He was slumped over."
WHO SHOT ANDREW BROWN?
It is unclear who the sheriff's deputy who shot Andrew Brown is.
Brown was reportedly shot dead by cops around 8.30am on Wednesday as he drove away from them, witnesses claimed.
In a press conference, Sheriff Tommy Wooten Wooten said the deputy was placed on administrative leave.
Wooten confirmed there is bodycam video of the incident but said he had not yet seen it.
He said no more information would be released until the investigation was complete but that the sheriff’s office would be "transparent".
FLOYD’S FAMILY ATTORNEY TO VIEW FOOTAGE
High-profile civil rights attorney Benjamin Crump Crump, who secured the $27 million civil lawsuit in Minneapolis for the family of George Floyd, is to be present.
Beforehand Crump said: "Police can't sweep this under the rug.
"What is it on this video that is so damning that you would risk your career and risk losing your job so the people can't see the video?"
STATE OF EMERGENCY DECLARED
Earlier today Elizabeth City officials declared a state of emergency amid concerns about how demonstrators would react to a possible video release.
Protests since the shooting in the eastern North Carolina town of about 18,000 have generally been peaceful.
FAMILY TO VIEW BODYCAM FOOTAGE BEFORE MADE PUBLIC
County officials said today they will show the video to family after blurring out some of the faces in the video to protect an active internal investigation.
It comes as calls have been growing to release deputy body camera footage of the incident, which was not public record in North Carolina.
A judge must generally sign off on any release of body camera video.
A coalition of media has also petitioned the court for its release, and city officials also plan to.
Short of releasing it publicly, state law allows law enforcement to show body camera video privately to a victim's family.
Credit: AFP WHO WAS ANDREW BROWN?
Dad-of-ten Andrew Brown, 40, was fatally shot by a police officer n Elizabeth City, North Carolina, early last Wednesday.
Cops had been executing a search warrant on April 21.
Deputies were serving a search warrant when Brown was shot while driving away, witnesses say.
Neighbors say they heard anywhere from 6 to 8 shots. It's unclear if Brown was armed at the time.
"The was a law enforcement involved shooting and as such The North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation has been contacted and will assume responsibility for the investigation into this incident," said a statement put out by Sheriff Tommy S. Wooten II.
Credit: Facebook/Jadine Hampton FAMILY HIT BY DELAYS IN VIEWING POLICE BODY CAM
Brown's family had hoped to have a private viewing of the body camera video this morning, but county officials indicated that would be delayed because they were working on blurring some faces in the recording.
Civil rights attorney Benjamin Crump, who's among lawyers representing Brown's family, told reporters the delay is meant to protect law enforcement officers at the same time as they release the warrants with negative details about Brown.
COURT DOCS SHOW COPS BUST BROWN OVER SMALL AMOUNT OF DRUGS
North Carolina deputies who fatally shot a Black man outside of his house obtained the search warrant that brought them there after investigators recorded him selling small amounts of cocaine and methamphetamine to an informant, according to court documents released today.