NAACP LDF Responds To AG's Ruling In EJ Bradford Case

HOOVER, AL - The controversy surrounding the shooting death of Emantic "EJ" Bradford by a Hoover police officer Thanksgiving night was increased exponentially this week when Attorney General Steve Marshall ruled that the Hoover officer was justified in shooting and killing Bradford. The announcement sparked protests in Hoover and prompted a statement by the NAACP Legal Defense and Education Fund.

Marshall's office released a 24-page ruling on the case, complete with photos and video footage of the incident.

“The Alabama Attorney General’s determination is as infuriating as it is unsurprising. E.J. Bradford, Jr.’s life was needlessly taken by Hoover police, and the state Attorney General’s report still leaves questions unanswered," said Todd A. Cox, Director of Policy at LDF. "The lack of accountability in fatal police shootings – which painfully is all-too-familiar to communities of color across the country – undermines faith in law enforcement and the promise of equal protection under the law. The U.S. Department of Justice must intervene to provide an independent account of what transpired, and, more importantly, accountability for those responsible. Communities in Hoover, Montgomery, and across the country deserve action and answers."

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Not all of the footage was revealed in the AG's report, and the Bradford family's attorney, Ben Crump, said he does not believe the investigation was transparent. "It is outrageous and beyond comprehension that the Alabama Attorney General has concluded that it was reasonable for a trained law enforcement officer to fatally shoot an innocent civilian, one whose only action was an attempt to help protect the public and whose only 'crime' was being black," Crump said.

Crump also said the family of EJ Bradford will pursue a civil suit against the Hoover Police Department for wrongful death.

"Put simply: Bradford did everything right," Cox said. "Yet his name was still wrongly maligned, and, worse still, his family will forever be deprived of his presence. Our hearts are with his loved ones and all those marching in the streets in Alabama, who continue to fight for justice in his name."

Photo via Alabama Attorney General's Office