BATON ROUGE, La. This week marks one year since the police-involved shooting death of Alton Sterling.
The US Department of Justice ruled there wasn’t enough evidence to federally charge two police officers in Sterling’s death.
Some community members say justice hasn’t been served.
They’re starting a formal petition to recall Attorney General Jeff Landry.
They said he hasn’t taken any action against the two police officers.
The group said their petition is a peaceful measure, all to bring some sort of closure for the Sterling family.
Organizers gathered at the Triple S Food Mart the same spot where Sterling died just a year ago
Civil rights activist Ron Caesar said it’s time for elected officials to act.
“It’s just a very bad situation that could easily be corrected by simply saying the man is not guilty as we see it or let’s indict him. I don’t think we’re asking for too much,” Ceasar explained.
Some community members say they think Landry isn’t announcing a decision on whether the two officers are guilty in sterling’s death because it may spark a riot.
“Print 101”, a friend of Sterling said: “Honestly I don’t think they want to give us anything right now. It’s more of a, oh we’re going to take some time out, we’re going to see how they react, we’re going to see how they do.”
Caesar added: “And this time they say they aren’t going to stay here and burn their own black community. They’re going over there where the malls are and those 500,000 dollar homes are. That’s the inside information. I’m advising them let’s be peaceful and calm. Just give us a little more time to see if we can talk to the powers that be to have some sense into their head.”
KLFY News 10 reached out to Landry.
His office released a statement saying:
“The attorney general will not be distracted from doing the people’s work by petitions or threats. He remains committed to serving the people of Louisiana under the law.”Caesar said this petition is an act of peace and a way to provide the community with a viable solution.
Caesar said this petition is an act of peace and a way to provide the community with a viable solution. “When I get on a case, I dog it to the end. So somebody’s going to do something. Good or bad something’s going to happen,” Caesar affirmed.
“When I get on a case, I dog it to the end. So somebody’s going to do something. Good or bad something’s going to happen,” Caesar affirmed.
For a recall petition to move forward, the petition must be signed by one-third of the state’s registered voters within six months.
The petition would then go to the registrar of voters.
From there it would to Governor John Bel Edwards who would call a special election.
