West Memphis boy's rights weren't violated when officer shot him, feds say
By Jody Callahan (Contact)
Wednesday, November 7, 2007

West Memphis police officer Erik Sammis did not violate 12-year-old DeAuntae Farrow’s civil rights when he killed the child on June 22, the Department of Justice has concluded.

“After careful consideration, we concluded that the evidence does not establish a prosecutable violation of the federal criminal civil rights statutes,” Mark J. Kappelhoff, chief of the Criminal Section of the department’s Civil Rights Division, wrote in a letter dated Oct. 31.

Sammis shot DeAuntae when the boy and a friend ran by Sammis and another officer, Jimmy Ellis, who were on a stakeout at an apartment complex.

Police have said Sammis fired when it appeared DeAuntae was holding a weapon and moved after officers told them to stop.

Police said it turned out to be a toy gun that was taken into evidence. Police Chief Robert Paudert showed a reporter a photograph of it this afternoon.

Arkansas State Police also investigated the shooting; their conclusions, if they have reached any, have not been made public.

The state police will not take the Justice Department decision into account in making its determination, Paudert said.