LITTLE ROCK, AR – A Deadly Force Review, as part of an Internal Investigation, into former Little Rock Police Department (LRPD) Officer Josh Hastings’ shooting of a teenage robbery suspect provides an inside look at the investigation following the incident.
The Deadly Force Review determined Josh Hastings could have avoided shooting and killing Bobby Moore, 15, in August of 2012, saying Hastings put himself in the path of a moving vehicle.
The documents call into question the investigation that resulted in the firing of Hastings.
“It’s a very large conflict,” said Hastings’ defense attorney Bill James who’s seen the file. “And it was certainly misrepresented I think in some police reports by some of the detectives that were doing it.”
It points out that two witnesses gave conflicting statements. One that the vehicle was moving forward, the other in reverse.
It says however, both statements weren’t initially included.
“Their interpretation of them might have been a little skewed or they ignored it,” James said. “They just chose to ignore the fact that these statements conflicted or that even among themselves they couldn’t agree with each other.”
In continued documents and in response to the board an investigator plainly says she doesn’t know why the discrepancies were not included but that they were later added.
Alarming as well, it points out that two separate accident reconstruction investigations were conducted providing conflicting findings as to the direction and speed the car was moving.
How will this all play out in court?
“This is why we have juries,” James answered.
LRPD says they won’t comment on anything to do with the Hastings case.
Prosecution said they won’t comment on a pending case.
Josh Hastings had nothing to say following Tuesday’s pre-trial but a statement from the family says Hastings was wrongfully charged and they have to continue to fight the injustice.
A deadlocked jury in June could not make a decision on the case.
A defense motion to have the hearing relocated was removed.
The trial is scheduled start September 16.
The Deadly Force Review determined Josh Hastings could have avoided shooting and killing Bobby Moore, 15, in August of 2012, saying Hastings put himself in the path of a moving vehicle.
The documents call into question the investigation that resulted in the firing of Hastings.
“It’s a very large conflict,” said Hastings’ defense attorney Bill James who’s seen the file. “And it was certainly misrepresented I think in some police reports by some of the detectives that were doing it.”
It points out that two witnesses gave conflicting statements. One that the vehicle was moving forward, the other in reverse.
It says however, both statements weren’t initially included.
“Their interpretation of them might have been a little skewed or they ignored it,” James said. “They just chose to ignore the fact that these statements conflicted or that even among themselves they couldn’t agree with each other.”
In continued documents and in response to the board an investigator plainly says she doesn’t know why the discrepancies were not included but that they were later added.
Alarming as well, it points out that two separate accident reconstruction investigations were conducted providing conflicting findings as to the direction and speed the car was moving.
How will this all play out in court?
“This is why we have juries,” James answered.
LRPD says they won’t comment on anything to do with the Hastings case.
Prosecution said they won’t comment on a pending case.
Josh Hastings had nothing to say following Tuesday’s pre-trial but a statement from the family says Hastings was wrongfully charged and they have to continue to fight the injustice.
A deadlocked jury in June could not make a decision on the case.
A defense motion to have the hearing relocated was removed.
The trial is scheduled start September 16.
