"I Am Here to Give the Truth": DA Concludes Use of Force Was Justified in Jabari Peoples' Death

Decision Not to Press Charges in Jabari Peoples Case

The Jefferson County District Attorney has decided not to file charges against a Homewood Police officer who shot and killed Jabari Peoples in June. District Attorney Danny Carr concluded that the shooting was justified based on the available evidence.

In a statement, Carr explained that body camera footage showed Peoples had a gun in his right hand when the officer fired, resulting in his death. The family of Jabari Peoples viewed the footage at the Criminal Justice Center in downtown Birmingham on August 6. Initially, their request to see the video was denied by the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency (ALEA).

In a letter to the family’s attorney, Christopher Inabinett, Director of the Alabama State Bureau of Investigation, stated that the agency believed disclosing the recording would interfere with an ongoing investigation. ALEA completed its investigation on August 1 and provided its findings to Carr. After reviewing the case file and the video, Carr determined that no charges would be filed, nor would the case be presented to a grand jury.

“I think it’s just an unfortunate situation,” said Carr. “As I told the family, I believe he was a good kid who made a terrible decision. I told them they have the right to be emotional, and I’m not here to tell them how to respond, but I am here to give them the truth.”

Details from the Incident

Homewood Police described the incident as one where the officer was attempting to detain Mr. Jabari Peoples due to marijuana found in his vehicle. The officer asked Peoples and the passenger to exit the vehicle and noticed a gun between the seat and the door frame. The officer tried to place handcuffs on Peoples for safety, but a struggle ensued. Peoples managed to escape and then ran back to the vehicle, grabbing a gun from the driver's side.

According to the police release, at the time of the shooting, Peoples had the gun in his right hand, and the officer fired one shot, hitting him in the left side of the back, which ultimately caused his death.

Family's Response and Concerns

The family and their legal team expressed confusion after viewing the video, stating they were left with more questions than answers. They are demanding that all footage be released to the public. Civil rights attorney Ben Crump claims that the four minutes of body camera video shown is not the full story and wants independent verification that what Jabari was holding was indeed a gun.

Family attorneys mentioned that they were shown two videos: one short and unedited, and another that was slowed down with added annotations like “this is a gun.” Crump stated that after viewing the video, they concluded three things: that Jabari was shot in the back, that he was shot while running away, and that he never pointed anything at the officers.

During a press conference, Jabari’s sister, Angel Nicole Smith, said, “My brother was afraid, he was scared, he was running for his life, even to the point where he was shot in the back.” She also mentioned that her brother had said to the officer, “Sir, I promise, I’m not trying to resist, this is my cell phone, this is my phone.”

Ongoing Legal Actions

Carr stated that the 18-year-old had a gun in his hand, though he was unsure if it was a Glock 45 or if Peoples was the owner. Crump indicated that they will pursue litigation to obtain the answers the family believes they deserve. The family is also requesting that the city of Homewood publicly release all footage from the incident.

Homewood Mayor Alex Wyatt released a statement expressing sympathy for the Peoples family and urging the community to respect the District Attorney’s decision, which he said was based on the facts and the law.

Public Access to Video

The Homewood Police Department responded to inquiries about releasing the video, citing Alabama law. They stated that body-worn camera footage may not be released to the public and can only be viewed by certain parties.

The decision has sparked further discussion about transparency and accountability in law enforcement actions. As the case continues, the family and their legal team remain committed to seeking clarity and justice.