Attorneys for the family of Crystalline Barnes, killed by Jackson police on Jan. 27, 2018, are demanding to know the names of officers who shot Jacksonians in incidents over the last several months. They believe the same officer, whom they have identified as Rakasha Adams, may have shot and killed a man on Nov. 15, 2017, as well as Barnes earlier this year.
JPD, to date, has cited its long-time practice of not naming cops who fire on residents. The department refuses to reveal names of officers involved in a growing number of officer-involved shootings in Jackson. The Jackson Free Press has not independently confirmed that Adams was involved in either shooting, but has also been denied the names of the officers.
Baltimore-based attorney Jason Downs of Downs Collins P.A. and Mississippi attorney Carlos Moore filed a petition on May 21 against the City of Jackson to retrieve the names of the two Jackson Police Department officers who were involved in the shooting of Crystalline Barnes, 21, in January, so that they can proceed with an excessive-force claim against JPD.
In a petition written on behalf of Crystalline Barnes’ 2-year-old son, the attorneys urge the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Mississippi to grant a hearing in which someone from JPD would release the names in question.
This comes a week after a press conference outside City Hall where Downs said that his law firm would be taking legal action against the City of Jackson should they not release the names of the officers who allegedly shot and killed Barnes. Following an independent investigation, Downs identified one of the officers in the Barnes shooting as Adams, and his May 21 petition says she was likely also involved in the November death.
‘Easily Angered’ Officer?
Downs and Moore do not believe Adams received a proper mental evaluation after the November officer-involved shooting in which she allegedly shot an unidentified man in the chest when he brandished a knife.
“Upon information and belief, Jane Doe never received appropriate psychological screening or an adequate fitness for duty evaluation prior to resuming Jane Doe’s duties as an officer for the JPD after the November 15 shooting,” the court documents read. “Upon information and belief, Jane Doe is Officer Rakasha Adams.”
Documents
Petition Against City of Jackson to Release Names in Shooting Death of Crystalline Barnes
Petition Against City of Jackson to Release Names in Shooting Death of Crystalline Barnes
JPD Use-of-Force Policy
JPD Use-of-Force Policy
Statement: Mayor Lumumba’s Task Force on Identifying Officers in Officer-Involved Shootings
Statement: Mayor Lumumba’s Task Force on Identifying Officers in Officer-Involved Shootings
The Mississippi Free Press produced this story through the MFP Solutions Lab, supported by the Solutions Journalism Network. This series digs into Mississippi’s systemic issues and sheds light on responses to them in other communities. Beyond just reporting on problems, these stories interrogate their causes and inspect potential solutions.
