The household of Rajon Belt-Stubblefield served discover Monday to town of Aurora that they intend to file a lawsuit in reference to the August taking pictures loss of life of the unarmed Black man.
Belt-Stubblefield was 37 when he was shot and killed by an Aurora police officer throughout an Aug. 30 site visitors cease, and his then 18-year-old son witnessed the taking pictures. A discover of declare — a authorized step needed earlier than suing town — was filed on behalf of Belt-Stubblefield’s household and a second discover was filed on behalf of his son, Zion Murphy.
The household, together with their lawyer Milo Schwab, held a news convention to announce the submitting after which attended the Aurora City Council assembly the place they spoke a couple of lack of transparency surrounding the taking pictures and a necessity for accountability for officer Matthew Neely, who fired the deadly photographs. Neely’s title had not been launched by the police division.
“No child should ever have to witness that,” stated Erica Murphy, Zion Murphy’s mom. “No child should have to carry the trauma for the rest of their life. Rajon was more than a headline. He was more than a police report. He was a father. He was loved. He mattered.”
On the night time of the taking pictures, Neely tried to tug over Belt-Stubblefield for dashing and a potential DUI close to East Sixth Avenue and Sable Boulevard. Zion Murphy was driving behind his father in one other automotive.
Belt-Stubblefield fled after which rear-ended one automotive earlier than crossing a median and hitting a second car. He was armed however tossed a handgun into the grass earlier than strolling towards the officer, Aurora police Chief Todd Chamberlain stated on the time.
Belt-Stubblefield ignored orders to cease and raised his fingers, and Neely punched him in an try to de-escalate the scenario, in line with Chamberlain’s account within the days after the taking pictures. Belt-Stubblefield raised his fist and repeatedly requested if the officer was “ready for this,” Chamberlain stated.
The officer shot Belt-Stubblefield as he continued to maneuver towards him, backing Neely into the road, Chamberlain stated.
Belt-Stubblefield died on the scene.
But the notices of declare filed by Schwab provide a special perspective on what occurred.
Neely pointed his weapon at Belt-Stubblefield as quickly as he exited his wrecked automotive, and Belt-Stubblefield requested the officer to not shoot him as he tossed his gun into the grass. Neely tried to seize Belt-Stubblefield by the neck and take him to the bottom, however the officer is the one who fell, in line with the discover of declare. Belt-Stubblefield didn’t take aggressive motion and tried to stroll away.
Neely then adopted Belt-Stubblefield, shoved him within the again after which as Belt-Stubblefield turned to talk to his son Neely “suckerpunched Mr. Belt-Stubblefield in the back of the head, causing Mr. Belt-Stubblefield to put his fists up to protect his head,” the discover of declare acknowledged.
Neely backed into the road together with his gun and fired 3 times. The first two photographs struck Belt-Stubblefield within the chest, and he stopped and checked out Neely. Neely then fired the third shot into Belton-Stubblefield’s head, killing him on the scene, the discover of declare stated.
Schwab stated town has not communicated with the household within the six months for the reason that taking pictures, and the officer has not been disciplined for his actions.
“We’ve given it six months,” he stated. “We’re done waiting.”
The taking pictures drew nationwide consideration, main outstanding civil rights legal professional Ben Crump to go to with Belt-Stubblefield’s widow and to sentence the deadly taking pictures.
Aurora has been within the highlight for police brutality a number of occasions previously decade, most notably for the 2019 killing of Elijah McClain, an unarmed 23-year-old Black man who died throughout a violent arrest regardless that he had not dedicated a criminal offense. McClain’s title turned a rallying cry within the wake of Black Lives Matter protests in 2020.
Two Aurora paramedics and a police officer have been convicted for his or her roles in McClain’s loss of life. Two others have been acquitted, and town paid $15 million to McClain’s dad and mom to settle a civil rights lawsuit.
Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser positioned the division below a consent decree after McClain’s loss of life after his investigation discovered a sample of racially biased police and extreme pressure throughout the division.
In 2015, Aurora paid a $2.6 million settlement — the most important in metropolis historical past on the time — to the household of Naeschylus Carter-Vinzant, an unarmed Black man who shot by a metropolis police officer. Officers have been making an attempt to serve an arrest warrant after Carter-Vinzant had eliminated a monitoring bracelet from his ankle. That settlement additionally got here with an settlement from town to enhance police oversight and to enhance neighborhood relations.
The household of Kilyn Lewis, an unarmed Black man killed by Aurora police in 2024, sued town in May for wrongful loss of life. That case is pending.