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Rainbow Push Coalition Responds to Waukegan Police Report in Stinnette Shooting

Posted November 05, 2020 10:00 pm

Tavis Grant

For Immediate Press Release

Bishop Tavis Grant, National Field Director of the

Rainbow Push Coalition

Responds to Report:

"Waukegan police officers moved slowly due to fear

that Marcellis Stinnette may be armed. "

Bishop Grant responds to reports that Waukegan police officers did not immediately provide medical aid to Marcellis Stinnette who was mortally wounded because they feared that he could have a gun, according to police reports released this week.

The police reports of the Oct. 20 shooting were released to the Lake County News-Sun in response to a Freedom of Information Act request. Last week, the mother of Marcellis Stinnette filed a lawsuit accusing Waukegan Police officers of letting her son bleed to death in the eight minutes it took for an ambulance to arrive.

"As we continue to discover the intentional and unethical efforts this officer and others went through to obstruct justice and deliberately refuse medical aid to Marcellis Stinnette is absolutely astounding. There was no report of either the driver nor Mr. Stinnette having a weapon at all. Let's remember he was disabled due to a horrific accident just months before he was murdered," Grant said.

"This is just one more reason why not one should have been fired, but we believe others should be fired as well or severely reprimanded to the highest degree. Let's not forget the fact that Mr.Stinnette was not the driver nor did he pose any threat to anyone including the officer that shot and killed him. We know from video we viewed with the family that there was an officer who approached the vehicle moments after the shooting who was commanded by another officer to step away from the vehicle. We're not even sure if we have that officers body cam video. We strongly urge the Lake County States Attorney Mike Nerhem to thoroughly investigate this matter and prosecute those responsible for the death of Marcellis Stinnette to the fullest extent of the law. We demand equal protection under the law".

Bishop Grant will be speaking at the funeral for Marcellis Stinnette scheduled next week in Jacksonville Florida.

Media availability & response Contact: Bishop Tavis Grant

Call 219.712.8808

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