MEMPHIS, Tennessee — Shelby County District Attorney Steve Mulroy said his office will review new information in the case of Darrius Stewart, after meeting with Carlos Moore, the attorney representing Stewart's father, Thursday morning.
Stewart, who was then 19-years-old, was shot and killed by now former Memphis Police Officer Connor Schilling in July 2015 following a struggle between the two in Hickory Hill.
At the time, police said Stewart had out-of-state warrants in Illinois and Iowa. They said when Schilling tried to put him in handcuffs, Stewart kicked the door and attacked the officer.
Moore is hopeful DA Mulroy's newly-formed Justice Review Unit (JRU) will reopen the case and eventually push for a grand jury to indict Schilling on a second degree murder charge.
In November 2015, a Shelby County grand jury declined to indict Schilling, even though then-DA Amy Weirich recommended an indictment on charges of involuntary manslaughter and use of a firearm in commission of a dangerous felony.
In 2016 following a Department of Justice Review of the Stewart case, then-US Attorney Ed Stanton also said no federal charges would be filed against Schilling. Stanton at the time cited insufficient evidence, including whether the second (deadly) shot was "unreasonable".
Moore said Thursday there are witness statements and medical opinions the DA's office has never seen and a grand jury has never considered.
A spokesperson for the DA's office told ABC24 Thursday afternoon: "Earlier today, DA Mulroy and attorneys from our office met with Darrius Stewart’s father, Henry Williams, and his attorney. During our meeting, the attorney informed us that there was information that we may have not been privy to that was uncovered during the civil investigation. DA Mulroy agreed to review the information the attorney will provide and committed to following up after review."
Moore is hopeful the investigation into Tyre Nichols' death following a beating last month by several now-fired Memphis Police Officers will warrant a deeper examination of the Stewart case.
"Memphis is finally now coming to the cold realization that they have a problem with that police department," Moore said. "Before you may take it as gospel truth whatever the officer said, whatever 1-2 officers got together and said something. And you go through a dog and pony show, maybe you give them the benefit of the doubt. But now everyone is second-guessing the city of Memphis Police Department."
Moore also told reporters Thursday that he believes all killings of unarmed persons by Shelby County law enforcement needs to be reviewed in the future.
The attorney, along with Stewart's father Henry Williams, also questioned the speed of charges being filed against five fired MPD Officers, all of whom are Black, compared to no charges being filed against Schilling, who is White.
"It just takes so long to prosecute another color than it did the Black color. Like I said, what's wrong is wrong but the only thing I could say is it just took me too long. I'm still fighting trying to get justice for my son, which I shouldn't have to do though," Williams said.
