MEMPHIS, Tenn. — The Shelby County District Attorney’s office says it will review the case of Darrius Stewart, a 19-year-old who was shot and killed by a Memphis Police officer during a traffic stop in 2015.
Stewart’s father, Henry Williams, and attorney Carlos Moore are fighting to get an indictment against the officer in that case. Thursday, they met with DA Steve Mulroy’s office.
“I’m still fighting, trying to get justice for my son, which I shouldn’t have to do,” Williams said.
Stewart was killed in 2015 after a traffic stop for a minor violation in Hickory Hill. Stewart, who was a passenger in the car, had juvenile warrants in another state.
The officer, Connor Schilling, claimed he tried to take Stewart into custody, and a struggle ensued — part of it captured on a cell phone camera.
He said Stewart reached to grab his handcuffs, then reached for his duty belt. Schilling fired two shots.
The family didn’t buy the officer’s claims and, despite former District Attorney Amy Weirich’s recommendations, the grand jury chose not to indict the officer on voluntary manslaughter.
When Mulroy took office as DA, he created the justice review unit to review cases to see if there were any wrongdoings. He says the unit is truly independent and doesn’t work with law enforcement on a regular basis.
They also review officer-involved fatality cases, including Tyre Nichols’ case.
Under state law, the statute of limitations has run out for a voluntary manslaughter indictment in the Darius Stewart case.
Moore said based on what they’ve seen so far, “they do not believe they will be successful in securing an indictment for murder, second-degree murder, or first-degree murder.”
But Moore says the unit only looked at the 918-page report and evidence gathered by the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation.
“We fought this case for four years and have tons of witness statements and medical opinions they have not been privy to or have never seen,” he said.
Moore says he will hand all of that over to Mulroy.
“I do believe that, after he reviews that, if it were me, he will present the case to the grand jury and I would ask for second-degree murder indictment,” Moore said.
DA Mulroy’s office said it has agreed to review the information Moore sends him and they are committed to following up after the review.
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