MONTGOMERY, Ala. – Last week, Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall declined to prosecute the Hoover police department officer who shot and killed EJ Bradford. The Bradford family’s attorney Benjamin Crump, ACLU of Alabama and NAACP of Alabama held a press conference this morning to announce a new public records request delivered to the Alabama Attorney General, which asked for the release of the full video footage and all related records from the investigation including the name of the officer. The Attorney General’s office has a deadline of 10 days to deliver the requested files before the organizations take legal action. The following are excerpts from the remarks.
Emantic Bradford, Sr., father of E.J. Bradford:
“You will remember my son’s name. Emantic Fitzgerald Bradford Jr. I want you to understand that this is not going nowhere. I’m not that type of father. The whole country is watching this. My son was executed. And I want the nation to know this. I fought for this country so my son wouldn’t have to go through the civil rights injustice that we went through.
“These unnecessary shootings need to stop. If we don’t change the narrative right now for my child, it could be yours, your child, your mother, your brother, or an innocent bystander.”
April Pipkins, mother of E.J. Bradford:
“America, Alabama, this is not justice. If this came to any of your backyards, would you still call this justice? They are taking their time to protect this officer, but they slandered our son’s name before we even knew he had passed away. Is that justice? This could happen to any of us. We must take this seriously because justice has not been served.”
Ben Crump, attorney for family of E.J. Bradford:
“We’re proud to stand with the NAACP and the ACLU. This family is proud that they are not alone in this quest for simple justice. If you think about their request, it is so common sense. They only want to have the name of the officer who killed their child released.
“What is it about this officer that this Attorney General and the Hoover Police Department that they are hiding? Is there something about his past that shows a pattern? Why did they pick and choose certain parts of the video and not release all of the video? With all the video, we can see for ourselves what is important and not important.
“We’re giving them 10 days to release the video. We’re giving them 10 days to release the name of the officer. Before this united front combine forces to challenge him in the court of law.
“What this really is about is trust. There is great distrust between communities of color and law enforcement. And the only way we can rebuild that trust is through transparency and accountability, and then and only then, can we bridge this distrust. If we can do that, wouldn’t that be a fitting legacy for E.J. Bradford, Jr.”
Randall Marshall, executive director of the ACLU of Alabama:
“The ACLU’s interest is one of transparency and racial justice. There is a strong public interest in the release of all camera footage related to the shooting death, all records and files that were considered, reviewed or utilized by the AG in issuing the report, and all records related to the AG’s decision to take over the investigation from the Jefferson County District Attorney. Now that there is no longer a pending criminal investigation, there is no reason that these documents and videos should not be made available for the public to be able to fully understand what took place.”
Patricia Mokolo, communications chair of the Alabama State Conference of the NAACP:
“The law should not be used against Black and Brown people. It is heartbreaking to realize that this country refuses to address this issue. It is a human issue. So today I join my colleagues here in a request asking that the Attorney General and Hoover Police Department take full responsibility in providing the video footage of the crime to the public and to release the name of the officer who committed this irresponsible shooting against a human being named E.J. Bradford.”
