![]() ![]() Price Marshall Jr., arguing that the jurors had engaged in jury nullification by ignoring expert testimony. ![]() I think this was a situation where an officer faced, what he felt and what he could tell at that point, was a life-ending possibility and acted to keep that from happening.”Īfter the jury returned its verdict, lawyers for Richards’ family filed a motion for a mistrial with Chief U.S. Little Rock Attorney Tom Carpenter said in a statement: Reportedly, the jury deliberated for hours only to come to the conclusion that Hutchins had not used excessive force when he fatally shot Richards. ![]() Hutchins’ attorney argued that the 20-year-old veteran officer had no choice but to shoot when he saw Richards holding the rifle after having had a violent altercation with a family member. The lawsuit argued that Hutchins had used excessive force against her brother and had in doing so violated Richards’ constitutional rights of equal protection and unreasonable search and seizure. The suit sought millions of dollars in damages. The jury learned that Underwood had gone inside around three seconds before Hutchins opened fire, that Richards was pointing the gun at Underwood’s home, and that Richards was in the yard facing the house and walking towards it.Īt the time, Pulaski County Prosecuting Attorney Larry Jegley sent a letter to the Little Rock Police Department on March 2017 that cleared Officer Hutchins of any wrongdoing in connection with the shooting death of Richards.ĭespite the prosecutor having ruled the shooting justified, Richard’s sister filed a civil lawsuit against Hutchins on behalf of her brother’s estate. ![]()
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