A petition asking for a grand jury to consider evidence from the October police-involved shooting death of Ricky Ball in Columbus has garnered more than 1,100 signatures in less than three weeks.
Kamal Karriem, a former Columbus councilman who is helping circulate the petition, said organizers had initially intended to submit the petition to District Attorney Forrest Allgood’s office this week. However, they have decided to wait for Scott Colom, who was elected the new district attorney last week, to take office before turning in the petition.
“The district attorney-elect, Scott Colom, said he is committed to opening up the inquiry,” Karriem said. “What we have decided is, we’re going to wait and turn these in to him, and not the Allgood administration.”
Ball, 26, was shot by Columbus police officers on the night of Oct. 16. The incident occurred near 15th Avenue North. Ball was a passenger in a car officers pulled over. Authorities say he fled the scene, was Tased and ultimately shot twice, though authorities have not said where he was struck. He later bled to death at Baptist Memorial Hospital-Golden Triangle.
Police say a 9mm handgun and marijuana were found near where Ball collapsed. The 9mm, authorities say, had been reported stolen from a CPD officer’s home in August.
The Mississippi Bureau of Investigation is investigating the shooting.
There were three CPD officers involved: Canyon Boykin, Johnny Branch and Yolanda Young. They were each equipped with body cameras, but none of them activated the devices prior to or during the shooting. Boykin was fired by the city council. Branch and Young were suspended. Authorities have not said who shot Ball.
Police Chief Tony Carleton later tended his resignation. Today is his last official day with the department.
Concerned citizens have marched twice in support of Ball. Two city council meetings have been filled with people questioning the shooting and the city’s handling of it.
The petition calling for a grand jury has been circulating since Oct. 24. It had gained 1,189 signatures by Tuesday, according to Karriem.
During a Nov. 2 community meeting about Ball’s shooting death, Colom told a crowd of about 400 people that he believed the available facts for the Ball case warranted investigation from a grand jury.
“Currently, I don’t have all the information from the investigation,” Colom said. “I know the same things you all know — I know what I read in the paper. But I know what I’ve read so far is very, very troubling. Based on what I know right now, I think there needs to be a grand jury investigation.”
Colom declined to comment on the specifics of the petition when The Dispatch contacted him Wednesday. He said he would prefer to see the petition first. However, he did say he thought any further action should wait until the conclusion of MBI’s investigation.
“My general feelings at this point are that we need to wait and see what the results of the MBI investigation are before we take any additional steps,” Colom said. “I haven’t had the opportunity to think through what I would do if presented with that petition.”
Kamal said the petition came, in part, from advice from former television Joseph “Judge Joe” Brown.
The Dispatch contacted Brown on Tuesday. He did not speak to any specific meeting with petition organizers when The Dispatch contacted him Tuesday afternoon. He did, however, say he believes it is critical for people to use peaceful means to seek justice, when necessary.
“The First Amendment says, among other things, that the citizens have a right to petition the government for a redress of grievances and that’s about as American as it gets,” Brown said. “I would strongly urge anyone to use the mechanisms that the system provides. If you’re going to have a process and you use it across the board, it instills confidence, rather than getting people to think that someone is getting special treatment.”
Going national
Karriem said he has been frustrated that national media have not picked up on the Ball situation.
“I understand people want to keep a squeaky-clean image of Columbus, but this is something that should make national headlines,” he said.
He said that recently, when ground collapsed outside a Meridian eatery and 14 cars were destroyed, media swarmed to the event.
“You mean to tell me that someone gets shot in the back by the police, the police chief resigns, one (officer) is fired and two suspended, that doesn’t make national headlines?” he said. “Something’s wrong with that.”
Karriem said he is reaching out to national radio shows — Tom Joyner Morning Show, for example — and has talked to other radio personalities and celebrities to try to spread awareness on the Ball shooting.
Full text of petition:
“To the Foreman of the Grand Jury of Lowndes County, Mississippi, Reverend Damion Leech:
We, the undersigned of this document are requesting the convening of the Grand Jury of Lowndes County in the 16th Judicial District for the expressed purpose of whether wrongful and/or criminal acts by the Columbus Police Department resulted in the death of Richard Javantae Ball, AKA Lil’Ricky — by shooting death on Friday, October 16, 2015 in the city of Columbus — Lowndes County, Mississippi.
We, the undersigned citizens of the 16th Judicial District, exercise our right to call the assembly of a Grand Jury to assure the residents of Columbus-Lowndes County, Mississippi that they would have truthful facts and resolutions concerning the death of Richard Javantae Ball that would not be clouded by politics, or covered up by internal mistakes or loss of evidence, or corruption within the Columbus Police Department.
Dated this 24th day in the month of October, in the Year of our Lord, 2015.
Alex Holloway was formerly a reporter with The Dispatch.
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