{"id":13225,"date":"2016-10-07T05:29:50","date_gmt":"2016-10-07T05:29:50","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.biphoo.com\/bipnews\/?p=13225"},"modified":"2016-10-07T05:29:50","modified_gmt":"2016-10-07T05:29:50","slug":"norfolk-officer-found-not-guilty-of-manslaughter-in-mentally-ill-mans-death","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.biphoo.com\/bipnews\/news\/norfolk-officer-found-not-guilty-of-manslaughter-in-mentally-ill-mans-death.html","title":{"rendered":"Norfolk officer found not guilty of manslaughter in mentally ill man&#8217;s death"},"content":{"rendered":"<h2 style=\"text-align: justify;\"><strong><span style=\"font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 18pt; color: #000000;\">\u201cAll the weight is off my shoulders&#8221;: Norfolk officer found not guilty of manslaughter in mentally ill man&#8217;s death<\/span><\/strong><\/h2>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14pt; color: #000000;\"><strong>\u201cAll the weight is off my shoulders&#8221;: Norfolk officer found not guilty of manslaughter in mentally ill man&#8217;s death<\/strong> : Michael Edington Jr. is not guilty of manslaughter.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14pt; color: #000000;\">Jurors decided Thursday that the 27-year-old Norfolk police officer was defending himself, his fellow officers and others more than two years ago when he shot and killed David Latham, a 35-year-old mentally ill man who was armed with a knife.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14pt; color: #000000;\">\u201cAll the weight is off my shoulders,\u201d Edington said outside the courthouse, holding back tears. \u201cI\u2019m gonna have my life back.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Norfolk officer reacts to verdict in manslaughter trial\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/KpMgxpat9Oo?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14pt; color: #000000;\">Edington was charged with manslaughter for fatally shooting Latham at his Park Place home after family members called 911 twice because Latham was swinging a knife during an argument.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14pt; color: #000000;\">Latham had long suffered from schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, and family members testified he\u2019d stopped taking his medication, was hearing voices and wasn\u2019t eating or sleeping. His former psychiatrist told jurors he thought Latham was going through a psychotic episode the day he was killed.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-13230\" src=\"http:\/\/www.biphoo.com\/bipnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/David-Latham.jpg\" alt=\"David Latham\" width=\"688\" height=\"600\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.biphoo.com\/bipnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/David-Latham.jpg 688w, https:\/\/www.biphoo.com\/bipnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/David-Latham-300x262.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 688px) 100vw, 688px\" \/><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14pt; color: #000000;\">Having been told there was a man armed with a deadly weapon who might be attacking people, Edington rushed with a partner to 411 W. 30th St. on June 6, 2014. When he saw Latham, a 273-pound man, in the doorway, he ran to the front steps about 8 to 10 feet away with his gun drawn, preparing to take a shot if he had to.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14pt; color: #000000;\">Edington testified that he yelled repeatedly at Latham to drop the knife. But Latham refused and said he was going to mess someone up. Edington took that as a threat.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14pt; color: #000000;\">Latham was rocking back and forth. He was moving the knife down by his side. He was getting louder and louder. Then, Edington testified, Latham took a small sidestep, which Edington thought was a signal that he was about to attack him or the two other officers by his side.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14pt; color: #000000;\">Edington fired five shots. When Latham ran inside, Edington gave chase and shot Latham once more, afraid he might attack a relative if he darted out of view.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14pt; color: #000000;\">The officers who were with Edington testified last week that they never saw Latham take a step or move his body forward or backward before the shooting.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-13229\" src=\"http:\/\/www.biphoo.com\/bipnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/Family-spokesman-Michael-Muhammad.jpg\" alt=\"Family Spokesman Michael Muhammad\" width=\"800\" height=\"525\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.biphoo.com\/bipnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/Family-spokesman-Michael-Muhammad.jpg 800w, https:\/\/www.biphoo.com\/bipnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/Family-spokesman-Michael-Muhammad-300x197.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.biphoo.com\/bipnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/Family-spokesman-Michael-Muhammad-768x504.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14pt; color: #000000;\">After the verdict, Latham\u2019s family members stood crying on their porch, just feet away from where Edington shot their relative to death. They were disappointed with the verdict, community activist Michael Muhammad said, speaking on the Lathams\u2019 behalf.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14pt; color: #000000;\">\u201cBecause this was a mentally ill black man, his life did not have value,\u201d Muhammad said. \u201cBlack people cannot get justice when they\u2019re killed at the hands of the police.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14pt; color: #000000;\">\u201cIt must stop.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14pt; color: #000000;\">But their fight isn\u2019t over, Muhammad said.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Latham family spokesman gives statement after verdict in manslaughter trail\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/_S0Xpi3w1G0?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14pt; color: #000000;\">Audrey and Glennis Latham have sued Edington and the city for $9 million. The wrongful death lawsuit was put on hold until Edington\u2019s trial ended. Moreover, the Lathams are calling for an overhaul of how Norfolk deals with and cares for the mentally ill.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14pt; color: #000000;\">\u201cThe Latham family is suffering,\u201d their lawyer Jon Babineau said. \u201cThey continue to suffer.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Latham family lawyers speak after verdict in Norfolk officer&#039;s manslaughter trial\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/iBezza8WCaU?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14pt; color: #000000;\">Commonwealth\u2019s Attorney Greg Underwood said the verdict isn\u2019t the one prosecutors wanted, but he\u2019s pleased Norfolk citizens had a chance to hear the facts and decide Edington\u2019s fate.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14pt; color: #000000;\">\u201cIt was a good fight,\u201d he told defense attorneys in a courthouse hallway.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14pt; color: #000000;\">One of Edington\u2019s attorneys, Franklin Swartz, blasted Underwood for accusing a Norfolk homicide detective of lying on the stand to cover up for the officer. Norfolk police have a great reputation, and Sgt. Daryl Jarvis does, too, one for devotion, competence and integrity, Swartz added.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14pt; color: #000000;\">He said he\u2019s never seen a commonwealth\u2019s attorney attack his own witness like that.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14pt; color: #000000;\">What Underwood did was \u201cdeplorable,\u201d Swartz said.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14pt; color: #000000;\">\u201cThey called him a perjurer and a liar, which is a felony,\u201d he said, adding that he hopes Jarvis\u2019 career doesn\u2019t suffer.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14pt; color: #000000;\">Prosecutors didn\u2019t accuse Jarvis of lying or perjury, spokeswoman Amanda Howie said in an email. Lawyers call witnesses\u2019 testimony into question; it\u2019s an inherent part of a trial.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14pt; color: #000000;\">\u201cThat\u2019s what we did here,\u201d she said.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14pt; color: #000000;\">Jarvis, a witness for the prosecution, backed up Edington\u2019s testimony about Latham making a sidestep.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14pt; color: #000000;\">But Edington never told detectives during his formal interview at the police station about that step. And Jarvis never wrote in his notes about it during two interviews at the scene just hours after the shooting.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14pt; color: #000000;\">Jarvis testified that Edington told him about the step during those unrecorded interviews, so when the officer acted it out at the station, he didn\u2019t need to mention it because Jarvis knew what he was demonstrating.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14pt; color: #000000;\">In his closing argument, Underwood said Jarvis created the step so he could be the hero for Edington. The prosecutor painted the detective as one of \u201cthe boys in blue \u2013 they\u2019re gonna circle the wagons and protect their own.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14pt; color: #000000;\">The Lathams feel the Norfolk Police Department orchestrated a \u201ctremendous cover-up,\u201d Muhammad said after the verdict.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14pt; color: #000000;\">Edington has been on administrative duty since he killed Latham. After the verdict, he said he still wants to be a police officer.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14pt; color: #000000;\">\u201cIt\u2019s something I\u2019m passionate about.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 8pt; color: #000000;\"><strong>Source:h<\/strong>ttp:\/\/pilotonline.com\/news\/local\/crime\/norfolk-officer-found-not-guilty-of-manslaughter-in-mentally-ill\/article_c8d0b268-8876-5456-9e4d-ee3bc54551a8.html<\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"fb-background-color\">\n\t\t\t  <div \n\t\t\t  \tclass = \"fb-comments\" \n\t\t\t  \tdata-href = \"https:\/\/www.biphoo.com\/bipnews\/news\/norfolk-officer-found-not-guilty-of-manslaughter-in-mentally-ill-mans-death.html\"\n\t\t\t  \tdata-numposts = \"10\"\n\t\t\t  \tdata-lazy = \"true\"\n\t\t\t\tdata-colorscheme = \"light\"\n\t\t\t\tdata-order-by = \"social\"\n\t\t\t\tdata-mobile=true>\n\t\t\t  <\/div><\/div>\n\t\t  <style>\n\t\t    .fb-background-color {\n\t\t\t\tbackground: #ffffff !important;\n\t\t\t}\n\t\t\t.fb_iframe_widget_fluid_desktop iframe {\n\t\t\t    width: 630px !important;\n\t\t\t}\n\t\t  <\/style>\n\t\t  ","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>\u201cAll the weight is off my shoulders&#8221;: Norfolk officer found not guilty of manslaughter in mentally ill man&#8217;s death \u201cAll the weight is off my shoulders&#8221;: Norfolk officer found not guilty of manslaughter in mentally ill man&#8217;s death : Michael Edington Jr. is not guilty of manslaughter. Jurors decided Thursday [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":13228,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[22],"tags":[7883,8186,8191,8190,8189,8193,8187,8185,8192,6955,6195,8194,8188],"class_list":["post-13225","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news","tag-black-lives-matter","tag-david-latham","tag-deliberate","tag-jurors","tag-jury","tag-knife","tag-manslaughter","tag-michael-edington","tag-norfolk","tag-police-officer","tag-shooting","tag-sidestep","tag-trial"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biphoo.com\/bipnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13225","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biphoo.com\/bipnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biphoo.com\/bipnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biphoo.com\/bipnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biphoo.com\/bipnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=13225"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.biphoo.com\/bipnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13225\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biphoo.com\/bipnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/13228"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biphoo.com\/bipnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=13225"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biphoo.com\/bipnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=13225"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biphoo.com\/bipnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=13225"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}