Justice Dept. says there's not enough evidence for civil rights charges against officer who shot Jacob Blake



The Department of Justice announced on Friday that there would be no civil rights charges against the police officer who shot Jacob Blake, an incident taken up by Black Lives Matter activists.

Kenosha Police Officer Rusten Sheskey shot Blake seven times as he resisted officers' commands during a domestic disturbance call on Aug. 23, 2020. The incident resulted in a week of rioting and protests in Kenosha, Wis., as protests continued across the country from the outrage over the death of George Floyd while in Minneapolis police custody.

The DOJ said there was not enough evidence to charge Sheskey.

"The department makes this decision because the evidence obtained is insufficient to prove that the KPD officer willfully used excessive force," read the DOJ statement. "Accordingly, the review of this incident has been closed without a federal prosecution."

While anti-cop critics have characterized the incident as another white police shooting of an innocent black man, others point out that video appears to show Blake reaching in his car as Sheskey opens fire. Police later found a knife in the car.

The findings from the DOJ mirror those of local and independent investigations initiated by the Kenosha Police Department, who cleared Sheskey to return to duty in March after having placed him on administrative leave.

"Although this incident has been reviewed at multiple levels, I know that some will not be pleased with the outcome," wrote Kenosha Police Department Chief Daniel Miskinis at the time, "however, given the facts, the only lawful and appropriate decision was made."

Blake said in an interview in January that he intended to put the knife in his car and lay down on the ground. Police said that he had placed one officer in a headlock and refused to put down his knife before he was shot. Police also tried and failed to subdue him with the use of two Tasers.

Blake was left paralyzed from the waist down because of the shooting.

Here's more about the Jacob Blake incident:

FULL STORY: Here's what Jacob Blake did three months before the Kenosha police shooting, riotswww.youtube.com

Kenosha officer who shot Jacob Blake will not face discipline and has returned to duty: Police chief



The Kenosha, Wisconsin, police officer who shot Jacob Blake — a black man who was shot seven times in the back and paralyzed from the waist down during an altercation with law enforcement last summer — is back on the job.

Kenosha Police Department Chief Daniel Miskinis says multiple investigations have cleared Officer Rusten Sheskey of any wrongdoing in the August incident, and the officer has returned to duty.

What are the details?

Miskinis issued a statement Tuesday saying that according to an internal review, Sheskey "was found to have been acting within policy and will not be subjected to discipline" over the high-profile case, adding that the officer had returned from administrative leave on March 31.

"Although this incident has been reviewed at multiple levels, I know that some will not be pleased with the outcome," Miskinis wrote, "however, given the facts, the only lawful and appropriate decision was made."

Media Release https://t.co/wdq5QaNNyk
— Kenosha Police Dept. (@Kenosha Police Dept.)1618345200.0

The chief also pointed out that Sheskey had already been cleared of wrongdoing by an outside agency, an independent expert, and the Kenosha County district attorney.

In January, Kenosha DA Michael Graveley announced that neither Sheskey or any other officers involved would face charges over the incident with Blake, whose shooting sparked more than a week of protests over racial justice in the city that descended into violence.

Graveley said at the time, "If you don't believe you can prove a case beyond a reasonable doubt, you have an ethical obligation not to issue charges," noting that the officers involved had a strong case for self-defense.

The altercation with Blake began after authorities were called to the residence of a woman who was reportedly Blake's ex-girlfriend, who claimed Blake was attempting to steal her vehicle.

She had accused him of sexually assaulting her in May.

Video of the Aug. 23 run-in with police shows officers approaching Blake as he walks away from them to get in a vehicle, where his children were inside. Blake was armed with a knife, and an attorney for Sheskey later explained that the officer believed Blake might harm him or the children in the car.

Blake admitted in a January interview with host Michael Strahan on "Good Morning America" that he was armed with a knife, but that his intention was to "put the knife in the SUV and then lay on the ground to submit to the police officers."

NBC News reported that Blake filed a federal complaint against Sheskey last month, seeking unspecified damages.

Attorney for cop who shot Jacob Blake says he thought Blake was kidnapping a child after hearing the mother's cries ​



An attorney for the police officer who shot Jacob Blake says that the officer believed he was kidnapping a child after hearing the mother's cries during the altercation.

The revelation comes from a CNN interview with the officer's attorney published on Friday.

The controversial police shooting in Kenosha, Wisconsin, sparked protests and riots from Black Lives Matter supporters who accused the police of acting inappropriately. Blake was shot 7 times and hospitalized with serious injuries.

Police Officer Rusten Sheskey told investigators that he used deadly force because he believed that Blake was going to kidnap a child in the car that he was reaching into when Sheskey fired.

His attorney Brendan Matthews said that Sheskey heard the mother of the child yell, "he's got my kid! He's got my keys!"

Matthews added that the public would have demanded to know why the officer hadn't done anything if Blake had been allowed to get away in the car with the child in the backseat.

Sheskey is on paid administrative leave over the incident.

Matthews also said that Blake had a knife in his hand when Sheskey fired, and that he twisted towards the officer. He claims that the viral video of the incident does not capture these crucial details.

Matthews told CNN that a second officer told investigators a similar account to that of Sheskey, and he said that he would have also shot at Blake if he had a clearer shot at him.

Blake was paralyzed from the waist down as a result of his injuries from the incident.

Investigators later said that an independent consultant would review the findings from the investigation, especially that having to do with whether police procedure was followed.

Here's more about the Blake shooting:

Independent consultant will review police shooting of Jacob Blakewww.youtube.com

From his hospital bed, Jacob Blake pleads 'Change y'all lives ... we can stick together, make some money, make everything easier for our people out here'



Jacob Blake issued a plea from his hospital bed, urging his supporters to change their lives.

A Kenosha, Wisconsin, police officer reportedly shot Blake in the back seven times on Aug. 23 during a call for a domestic dispute. Blake's family has repeatedly said he is paralyzed from the waist down as a result of the shooting.

Following Blake's shooting, riots and protests alike erupted in Kenosha, which led to a deadly shooting of two people on Aug. 25. More protest and riots continued across the U.S., putting further strain and pressure on police-community relations.

What are the details?

In a video tweet shared by his attorney, Benjamin Crump, Blake, 29, said that life can change on a dime.

"I just want to say, man, to all the young cats out there, and even the older ones, older than me, it's a lot more life to live out here, man," he said. "Your life and not only just your life, your legs, something that you need to move around and move forward in life, can be taken from you like this, man."

Blake added that he's in constant pain.

"I've got staples in my back, staples in my damn stomach," he continued. "You do not want to have to deal with this s***, man. Every 24 hours, it's pain, it's nothing but pain. It hurts to breathe, it hurts to sleep, it hurts to move from side to side. It hurts to eat."

He urged his supporters to change their lives, adding, "Please, I'm telling you, change y'all lives out there. We can stick together, make some money, make everything easier for our people out here, man, 'cause it's so much time that has been wasted."

#JacobBlake released this powerful video message from his hospital bed today, reminding everyone just how precious… https://t.co/pU9KVIw7wQ
— Ben Crump (@Ben Crump)1599351088.0

What else?

According to a recent report from the Kenosha Police Union, Blake reportedly confronted officers following a call about a domestic dispute. He allegedly placed one of the officers in a headlock, and was armed with a knife that he refused to drop.

All of this reportedly took place before the Kenosha officer opened fire on Blake as he attempted to get into his car. Officers reportedly said they saw a knife on the floor of the car. Blake's three children were in the backseat.

Kenosha Police Union attorney Brendan Matthews told WCCO-TV that Blake was reportedly at the residence of his ex-girlfriend, who accused him of a violent sexual assault in May.

The unnamed woman reportedly called authorities on that fateful day, alleging that her ex was attempting to steal both her keys and her vehicle.

Reports say that because of the alleged May assault, Blake was not supposed to be at her residence at all.

The Wisconsin Department of Justice continues to investigate the incident.