Civil Rights Attorney Ben Crump is joining the office of Attorney Lee Merrit to represent the family of Jamee Johnson. Johnson was a former student at Florida A&M University who was killed Sunday in Jacksonville during a traffic stop.
In a statement, the office of Attorney Lee Merrit says it will conduct its own investigation into the officer-involved shooting that left 22-year-old Johnson dead.
— S. Lee Merritt, Esq. (@MeritLaw) December 17, 2019
Jacksonville Police Officer J. Garriga shot Johnson after the department says officers asked him to step out of the vehicle. He initially complied. But as Johnson walked back to the officer’s patrol car the Jacksonville Sherriff’s Office says he pushed Garriga and the two struggled. Next officers say Johnson got back in his car and hit the accelerator.
The JSO claims Johnson had been reaching for his gun, which was on the passenger seat.
Garriga has been with the Sheriff’s office for 1 and a half years. This was his first officer-involved shooting. His partner Officer K. Graham was also on the scene but didn’t fire his weapon. Both are on administrative leave. Both JSO and the State Attorney’s office are investigating. The Crump addition comes a day after Representative Ramon Alexander called on the Florida Department of Law Enforcement to also investigate the shooting.
Johnson had no prior criminal history.
