What We’re Hearing From You: Community Reacts To Sacramento District Attorney’s Decision Not To Charge Officers In Stephon Clark’s Death

Reactions from Sacramento community members ranged from disgust to pride following Sacramento County District Attorney Anne-Marie Schubert’s announcement that her office would not file criminal charges against the police officers who shot and killed Stephon Clark.

Clark was killed last March after being pursued by officers into his grandmother’s Meadowview backyard. Police said they believed he had a gun, but he was later found with only a cell phone.

(Read more background here)

We asked for your responses to the DA’s decision. Here’s some of what we’ve heard so far:

‘Intended To Vilify’

Several community members expressed dismay at DA Schubert’s discussion of Clark’s personal life in her presentation.

Lenore Minasian on Twitter wrote, “I think the DA’s presentation was partially intended to vilify Mr Clark. That was shameful. He lost his life and then lost his dignity. Shame on the Sacramento officials.”

I think the DAs presentation was partially intended to vilify Mr Clark. That was shameful. He lost his life and then lost his dignity. Shame on the Sacramento officials.

— Lenore Minasian (@PupperoniA) March 2, 2019

Another listener who called into our Google Voice number said any anger Clark may have felt was irrelevant to his death.

“No matter what Stephon Clark was going through in his private life has nothing to do with losing his life,” she said.

A woman who identified herself as a 64-year-old white woman from Carmichael agreed, adding that Schubert did not similarly discuss the officers’ personal lives.

“I'm particularly disgusted with the way she discussed the case and really gave us no information about the officers’ personal lives or text messages or domestic violence situations or toxicology reports,” she said. “It was very disappointing but not surprising.”

They did not look at the officers' toxicology or what was weighing heavily on their minds in their personal lives or why they shot Clark seven times and did not provide medical attention and muted their body cameras.

— jakirika (@antiphrast) March 2, 2019

‘We Must Stand Behind Our Law Enforcement’

Some of those we heard from were supportive of the DA’s decision not to charge the officers involved.

Gary, who called our Google Voice line, said he was “very proud of our district attorney.”

“We must stand behind our law enforcement,” he said. “Those officers are not guilty of anything. They are commendable officers. They were put in the line of grave disability if they were shot.”

A Sacramento business owner named Chris also said he believes the shooting was justified.

“He did a crime. He didn't comply with the officers. The officers’ lives matter as well as black lives — sometimes more,” he said in a voice message.

‘Other Consequences’

Several more people who called in to CapRadio commented on what will happen from here.

A caller named Jim said he thinks “that there's going to be a lot of hatred going on in Sacramento.”

“It's a sad thing because the world does not need more hatred anyway,” he said.

A listener named Patty asked about other potential consequences for the shooting officers, even if they didn’t commit a crime.

“She said nothing that I heard about questioning their judgment whether this was a good call, and I think that's an equally important issue," she said. "If they're not going to be charged for a crime, should they even be on active duty anymore?”

We still want to hear from you. Have a question about the Stephon Clark case? Submit it below, or call our Google Voice line at 916-668-9311 to leave a comment.