Community Leaders, Davis Family Request Civil Rights Investigation into Kroger Shooting Death

MACON, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) – More community leaders and family members are calling for the U.S. Justice Department to step in and conduct its own investigation into the shooting death of Sammie Davis Jr.

“I’m very concerned after reading this [GBI] report that justice has not been done here,” former Macon Mayor C. Jack Ellis said.

That’s why Ellis, along with Macon City Councilman Henry Gibson and Sammie Davis Jr.’s sister, Cheryl Davis, are calling on the U.S. Department of Justice to step in.

“I believe that Sammie Davis Jr.’s civil rights have been violated,” Ellis said. “I don’t think he’s had a due process, any of those things that our constitution gives us as citizens. I don’t think he’s been given those rights.”

Earlier this week, Bibb County District Attorney David Cooke announced he would not press criminal charges against Macon police officer Clayton Sutton and said the shooting was tragic, but justified. He told 41NBC Davis had schizophrenia, but Ellis and Cheryl say that is not a reason to kill.

“Having a mental condition, the last time I checked, in the country, in this city, in this state, is not a capital punishment,” Ellis said.

“Somebody’s health condition isn’t justification for taking their life,” Cheryl Davis said.

That, along with what they call inconsistencies in the GBI’s report, is reason enough for the Justice Department to take a second look into this investigation.

“We believe that based on his conduct and based on this report that this officer should be in a court of law and be judged by a jury of his peers,” Ellis said.

“I just feel that there was enough inconsistency there to bring this case before a grand jury with at least an involuntary manslaughter,” Gibson said. “I feel that this community should have made that decision and put this thing to rest.”

And they won’t stop until they get justice for Junebug.

“Sammie has a family, a community and a city that will not allow Clayton Sutton to get away with murder,” Cheryl Davis said.

Ellis says he is reaching out to U.S. District Attorney Michael Moore to consider the case. 41NBC reached out to his office to see if he will investigate.

Ellis says he won’t stop seeking justice for Davis even if he has to go all the way to the Attorney General.