LAWRENCE, Kan. — The Lawrence, Kansas Police Department Monday released dash camera video at the center of a felony charge filed against an officer.
On May 29, 2018, LPD officers stopped Akira Lewis for not wearing a seat belt. In a matter of minutes, the stop led to Lewis body slamming one officer before another office, Brindley Blood, shot him.
Last summer, the Douglas County District Attorney's office charged Blood with aggravated battery.
After reviewing the video, Lauren Bonds, the interim executive director for the ACLU of Kansas, said the officer's conduct was "an unnecessary and excessive use of force."
"It's particularly concerning given the fact that there was no reason to escalate the situation in the first place," Bonds said. "A number of federal circuits have found that flipping off a police officer is protected speech. Asking to see their supervisor shouldn't result in you getting shot."
Retired FBI special agent in charge Michael Tabman watched the video with 41 Action News.
"This is not a matter of someone being shot because they did not have on a seat belt," Tabman said. "This is a matter of someone being shot because he started an assault against a police officer."
Blood maintains she meant to grab her taser, not her gun. She resigned from the force in January 2019. A judge could decide if the case will go to trial as early as this week.
