A family is frustrated and demanding justice a year after a U.S. Park Police officer shot and killed a D.C. teen.
Dalaneo “Debo” Martin, 17, was sleeping inside an SUV that had been reported stolen when U.S. Park Police officers tried to take him into custody, authorities say.
Police body camera video shows Martin drive away as an officer rolled out of the SUV. Another video from a Park Police officer who appears to be in the back seat of the SUV shows the officer shoot Martin five times.
The Department of Justice opened a civil rights investigation after the video was released in April.
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“It’s been one year,” said Andrew Clarke, a lawyer for Martin’s family. “No answers, no charges. We are not giving up!”
“I wanna see justice for my brother,” said Martin’s sister, Nishay Martin. “He didn’t have no weapons. He was not no danger or nothing. He was just in a deep sleep. He was startled.”
Attorneys representing the Martin family say one of the biggest frustrations in the case is that the officer who shot Martin hasn't been identified.
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“It’s on video,” lawyer Ben Crump said. “I mean, think about it. People in our community get arrested, charged on no evidence, on an innuendo.”
Martin's mother started to read a statement Monday before getting choked up and allowing attorney Jade Mathis to finish it.
“You took my son from his kids,” she read. “You took my son from his brothers and sisters. You took my son from his friends. You took my son. You took my smile.”
Neither Park Police nor the Justice Department would comment.
The Martin family's legal team was told it will be getting some sort of update from the Justice Department this week
The officer who shot Martin was placed on paid administrative leave.
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