The Pasquotank County, North Carolina district attorney announced Tuesday that he will not bring charges against police officers who shot and killed Andrew Brown Jr., an unarmed 42-year-old black man, in the head while he was on May 21. April serving a warrant after a long press conference, Andrew Womble went defensive when asked about the video’s release and later when asked how he could decide not to prosecute officers unless all the facts are in place.
“I’m not going to publish the video, that’s done,” Womble told reporters. “Everything in my office is not publicly known by law.”
The Associated Press added, “Womble, who showed portions of the video at the press conference, said Tuesday that he would not post the video.”
Womble reportedly has a total of about two hours of video from police cameras, but only allowed Andrew Brown Jr.’s family to watch for less than 20 minutes. He showed a very small portion of the video Tuesday to support his decision not to bring charges against any of the officers.
Womble went on to say that any publication of the video would have to be done by the court, but when asked if he had requested publication of the video, he said it was not.
“You can’t swing a skunk in front of a group of people and then ask them not to smell it,” Womble said last month.
On Tuesday, Womble told reporters, “Mr. Brown’s death, tragic but justified, because Mr. Brown’s actions led three MPs from the Pasquotank County Sheriff’s Office to believe that it was necessary to use lethal force to protect themselves and others. “
After a reporter urged the public “not to reach conclusions until all the facts are known,” he reminded Womble that he had just admitted that he did not have all of the facts.
“Do you think all the facts are out?” said the reporter. “You told us that you didn’t know how fast the car was going, whether the car was going slower or faster. And the stills you showed us told a different story before the first shot was fired. After you started the video, it looked like Brown was turning away from the officer. “
“I’m sorry your question is?” Womble replied defensively.
“How do you react to that?” put up the reporter.
“What was the question?” Womble answered again.
“Are you sure you have all the facts?” The reporter continued. “You said you don’t know if the car was decelerating or accelerating.”
“I know all of the facts I needed to make this decision were there,” Womble replied.
“Isn’t that important?” the reporter pressed. “That’s important. When you watch the video. If you watch the video in motion, it looks like he’s turning away before the first shot is fired. That’s important.”
“Sir, there are several cases,” Womble said defensively, “there is a litany of cases in our American jurisdiction of shots being fired at stationary cars, cars that are not moving.” The speed at which Mr. Brown is moving towards the officers is not relevant to my resolve. “
The reporter said that if Brown had stepped on the brakes, “Isn’t that important?”
Womble refused to answer and went to another reporter.
The full video of the Womble press conference can be found here:
Al Sharpton weighed:
Elizabeth City DA Womble, running for Supreme Court Justice, gave a bizarre and unconvincing defense not to blame the police for shooting Andrew Brown Jr. in the back of the head! The Feds and a special attorney are clearly needed.
– Reverend Al Sharpton (@TheRevAl) May 18, 2021
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