By AFRO Staff
54-year-old Harold Phillips was killed by a Lousiana police officer who now faces manslaughter charges for the shooting. (Courtesy Photo)
A Louisiana police officer faces a charge of manslaughter after he allegedly killed an unarmed Black man he believed was involved in an altercation last month.
Steven Merchant, who is White, was indicted by a Grant Parish, Louisiana grand jury this week and faces up to 40 years in jail if convicted for the killing of 54-year-old Harold Phillips.
Witnesses said Phillips was playing around with his sister in their brother’s front yard on July 24, and at one point snatched his sister’s purse. When she demanded, he threw it at her.
No one called for police but, Merchant, 28, a police officer in the town of Colfax, came upon the scene and attempted to place Phillips under arrest, according to witnesses. An altercation ensued, after which the unarmed Phillips was shot five times.
“It is our intention to show at trial that this was not self defense, nor an accidental shooting,” Grant Parish District Attorney Jay Lemoine said in a statement to BlackAmericaWeb.com.
Phillips’ family may also file civil charges in federal court, attorney Carol Powell Lexing told the Web site.
“The victim was six feet away from the officer when he was shot. He was not armed, and he posed no threat to the officer,” Lexing said. “His civil rights were violated. There was an excessive use of force.”
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