No charges will be issued against Washtenaw County deputies in the shooting of Navy veteran John Jenuwine.
The announcement was made late Thursday by Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel's office.
The 34-year-old Jenuwine was shot and killed during a police chase in Ypsilanti on Jan. 6th. In her statement, Nessel said the police claim that they faced an imminent threat were legitimate.
Three deputies fired more than 30 shots into his van. An autopsy revealed that Jenuwine suffered 7 gunshots and had cocaine in his system. No gun was found in the van even though police had reported something that looked like a gun.
Maura Battersby with Flood Law which represents the Jenuwine's family, says the Navy vet's pleas for help went unheeded, and while the AG's decision is a blow to the family, a civil suit will proceed on their behalf.
"You know, it doesn't have any bearing on how we proceed with our civil lawsuit. This memorandum isn't something that will be used as evidence in a civil trial, it's their opinion. So it ultimately shouldn't impact the outcome of the civil lawsuit, what it really does though, is that it just sort of re-traumatizes the family."
Battersby says the Attorney's General's office failed to examine key evidence in the case. She says that includes the initial 9-1-1 call that was made in the case. Battersby says that included testimony that no gun was evident on Jenuwine's person.
The Washtenaw County Sheriff's Office released the following statement in response to the review:
"The Attorney General's Office has concluded its review of the death of John Jenuwine and determined that criminal charges will not be brought against the four deputies involved. We respect the Attorney General's role in independently reviewing this tragic matter. The next step is for the Sheriff's Office to perform an administrative review that will evaluate the incident under our departmental policies and standards. We will not prejudge the outcome of that process.
The Attorney General's decision does not diminish the loss of Mr. Jenuwine's life or the grief of his family. We also recognize the profound impact that this incident has had on our community and the importance of addressing matters like this with care and respect.
The Sheriff's Office remains committed to accountability, public safety, and earning the trust of the community we serve. As civil litigation remains pending, we will address specific facts through the appropriate legal process. Questions about the criminal investigation should be directed to the Attorney General's Office and questions about the civil litigation should be directed to the County's Corporation Counsel. “
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