Civil Rights Icon To Eulogize Hartford Man Killed By Police

HARTFORD/BLOOMFIELD, CT — Funeral services for Steven Jones, a 55-year-old Hartford resident who died after being shot by police, will include a eulogy from civil rights leader Rev. Al Sharpton, according to the NAACP’s Connecticut chapter.

Sharpton is scheduled to speak during “Homecoming Services” at First Cathedral in Bloomfield at noon on Thursday, March 26. His remarks, along with the service itself, will be available to watch via livestream.

Sharpton is a prominent American civil rights leader, Baptist minister, and television/radio host known for founding the National Action Network (NAN).

He is recognized for leading high-profile protests against police brutality, racial injustice, and inequality, often acting as a voice for the disenfranchised.

He hosts the MS Now (formerly MSNBC) show PoliticsNation and the radio show Keepin' it Real, using these platforms to highlight social justice issues.

The service follows Jones’ death on March 3, several days after a Feb. 27 encounter with Hartford police on Blue Hills Avenue.

A preliminary report released March 6 by the Connecticut Office of Inspector General found the shooting occurred while Jones was experiencing an acute mental health crisis and brandishing a knife.

The Connecticut Office of the Chief Medical Examiner determined Jones died from “complications of gunshot wounds involving the torso” and classified the manner of death as a homicide.

Jones’ family has retained famed civil rights attorney Ben Crump following the state’s preliminary findings.

Crump, too, will be in attendance at Jones' funeral on Thursday, a Crump spokesperson confirmed Tuesday.

"Crump will issue a national call for justice to demand accountability and meaningful reforms to law enforcement’s response to mental health crises," Crump's office said in a statement Tuesday.

Crump is best known for representing the family of George Floyd following his murder by Minneapolis, Minn., police in May 2020, which set off a firestorm of national protests back then.

Crump secured a historic $27 million pre-trial settlement with the City of Minneapolis in 2021 and heavily advocated for the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act.

To watch a video stream of the funeral and speakers, click on this link.

From March 9: 'Family Of Hartford Man Shot, Killed By Police Retains Renowned Legal Figure'

From March 6: 'New Report Outlines New Details In Fatal Hartford Police Shooting Feb. 27: State'

From March 3: 'Man Shot By Hartford Cop Last Week Dies From Injuries: State'

From March 2: 'VIDEO: Footage Released Of Officer-Involved Shooting Last Friday In Hartford'

From March 2: 'Leaders Seek Answers Following Officer-Involved Shooting In Hartford'

From Feb. 27: 'Hartford Police Shoot Knife-Wielding Man Late Friday Morning: Reports'