NAACP, Linn County Attorney share differing views of CRPD police shooting video

CEDAR RAPIDS - The president of the Iowa-Nebraska NAACP says what she and others see on a video showing Cedar Rapids Police Officer Lucas Jones shooting motorist Jerime Mitchell during a Nov. 1 traffic stop is in stark contrast to how Linn County Attorney Jerry Vander Sanden described the incident on Tuesday in announcing a grand jury ruling that found Jones' use of force justified.

'We ... have great concerns because what the county attorney told us and this video - is like night and day,” Andrews said Thursday, speaking to a crowd of about 100 people gathered at the African-American Museum of Iowa in Cedar Rapids.

The NAACP hosted the meeting, during which it showed and commented on the police dash camera video that was released Thursday to the media. During the presentation, Andrews asked the audience to watch the body language of Mitchell, who is black, and Jones, who is white, and asked, 'Who is the aggressor?” She noted Vander Sanden's statements about the incident made Tuesday were 'inconsistent” with what she and others saw on the video.

Among those in attendance was Louise Mitchell, Jerime's mother. She said 'police are supposed to protect” and what happened to her son 'should not happen to my son or anyone's son.

'I am really hurt, really sad and angry,” she continued, adding her son had checked on her that evening, which he always did because she recently had a 'massive brain stroke.”

'I saw nothing to justify what he (Jones) did,” Louise Mitchell said. 'God will render justice.”

Also in attendance was Vander Sanden, who said he wasn't invited, but showed up to 'answer questions and face the criticism.”

See Also: Timeline of the shooting of Jerime Mitchell

At one point during the evening, Vander Sanden was cornered in the lobby as questions and criticism were directed at him.

Some asked why the grand jury was called before Mitchell could give his side of the story. Others asked, 'When will you step down?”

'He's lying, he's lying” and 'He's rehearsed that over and over,” were among the other accusations hurled Vander Sanden's way.

At one point, Andrews, Linn County Supervisor Stacey Walker, Mount Zion Baptist Church Pastor Damian Epps and others stepped in and asked that the proceedings remain peaceful. Epps invited Vander Sanden to attend a future meeting at his church to address the community's concerns and Vander Sanden accepted.

A date for that meeting has not yet been set.

In attempting to answer questions on Thursday, Vander Sanden reiterated much of what he said Tuesday in announcing the grand jury's decision:

' Jones pulled Mitchell over because his license plate lights were burned out.

' Jones smelled marijuana in Mitchell's pickup truck.

' Jones said Mitchell was immediately combative during the stop, shouting expletives at him.

' After a scuffle outside the vehicle, Mitchell attempted to get back into his truck and Jones became stuck in the open driver's side door.

' Fearing for his life as Mitchell drove away with Jones still caught inside the door, Jones fired three shots, one hitting Mitchell in the neck, paralyzing him.

Mitchell, late Wednesday, gave a different account of events, saying Jones was the aggressor and attacked him 'without provocation.”

'I was frightened, and decided it was in my best interest to get back in my truck,” Mitchell said. 'At that point, Officer Jones got even more aggressive towards me and slammed me against the truck, then without provocation from me, he tackled me to the ground and released his dog who started attacking me.”

Mitchell said he was scared and knew he had to get back in his truck to get away from the dog and that is when Jones 'jumped on me and shot me while I was in my truck.”

In announcing the grand jury ruling on Tuesday, Vander Sanden laid out the events of the traffic stop and shooting based on the video and statements given to investigators by Jones. Mitchell's account of the incident came too late to be included in the investigation or as part of the evidence considered by the grand jury.

Vander Sanden also has pointed out there was no audio to go with the video because the microphone worn by Jones was not functioning. He later said, he believes the rechargeable battery had run out of power.

Some in attendance Thursday questioned that, saying they could hear Jones yelling to the dog, 'Kill him, kill him” in the dash camera video.

Others wondered if Jones' license plate lights were actually burned out. Vander Sanden said investigators have confirmed they were.

Some disagreed that Mitchell kicked the canine officer, though Vander Sanden has said he did.

Still others questioned whether Mitchell was swearing at Jones during the traffic stop, because they said Jones doesn't appear to react as if he's being cursed at.

The dash camera video, posted at thegazette.com, lasts just more than five minutes and 30 seconds. The bulk of the action takes place during a two-minute stretch between 1:17 a.m., when Jones activates his overhead, flashing police lights to pull Mitchell over, and just after 1:19 a.m., when the three shots are fired at Mitchell.

l Comments: (319) 398-8318; trish.mehaffey@thegazette.com