Times staff report
A forensic pathologist hired by the family found that Emantic Fitzgerald “E.J.” Bradford Jr. was struck three times in the back side of his body, including one gunshot that entered the rear of his skull, said a lawyer hired by the family.
Attorney Ben Crump said on Monday nothing justifies the officer’s shooting of “E.J. as he was running away from him.”
Crump, speaking at the family’s small church in north Birmingham, said any of the three shots could have killed the 21-year-old. The family hired a forensic pathologist to review the evidence as the state’s investigation continues.
Bradford was shot to death by a Hoover police officer on Thanksgiving night. Police have apologized for saying mistakenly that Bradford was shot after an altercation in the Galleria Mall where two people were wounded.
At the press conference, the Rev. Jesse Jackson said that the authorities’ refusal to release video evidence smacks of a cover-up.
Hoover police said they won’t release officer video or other evidence about the shooting until the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency (ALEA) investigation is complete. Hoover police repeated Monday that state investigators are concerned the investigation could be jeopardized if information is released.
The Associated Press contributed to this post
