Civil Rights attorney Ben Crump demands charges for officers after Darryl Williams' autopsy released

Friday, June 9, 2023
RALEIGH, N.C. (WTVD) -- The calls for Wake County District Attorney Lorrin Freeman to arrest all officers involved in the Darryl Williams case were loud and clear at Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Gardens.

"It's real clear to Attorney (Dawn) Blagrove and I if she doesn't bring charges, she's saying it's okay to brutalize Black and Brown people in Raleigh, North Carolina," said civil rights attorney Ben Crump.

The growing demands come days after the autopsy report for the 32-year-old man was released.

"We don't want any more Jim Crow. We don't want any more stop and frisk. We don't want any more for the Black people of Raleigh to constantly have to show their freedom papers to be able to live," said Dawn Blagrove, executive director of Emancipate NC.

Williams died while in the custody of Raleigh Police. The report listed the cause of death as sudden cardiac arrest and the manner of death is classified as homicide.

"Lorrin Freeman, what are you going to do?" said Raleigh activist Kerwin Pittman. "Are you going to show us the true justice system or show us just us? When it comes to just us, we don't get that type of justice we need."

"We're calling for hardcore reform, radical reform, and revolution reform because you do not have the humanity to serve us," said Kimberly Muktarian, a Raleigh activist.

ABC11 asked District Attorney Lorris Freeman if charges will be filed against the officers. She said the matter is under review, and she expects to know more in 30 days.

As for the six officers involved, they remain on administrative leave.

The activists called the death of black men a public health crisis. Darryl Williams' mother urged city leaders to do something about it.

"Now that we have the autopsy everyone knows what happens, which I already knew from day one. He was murdered," said Sonya Williams.
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