Civil rights attorneys, community activists call for police reform in Michigan

LANSING, Mich. (CBS DETROIT) – Family and community members and civil rights attorneys came together in Lansing on Friday to call for policing changes in Michigan.

Their gathering comes after the deaths of Samuel Sterling and Riley Dogget in western Michigan. 

“Mothers don’t have to go through this. I don’t care what color you is. Shouldn’t nobody run your child down,” said Andrica Cage, Sterling’s mother. 

Sterling was hit by a Michigan State Police officer on April 17. According to attorneys Ven Johnson and Ben Crump, Sterling was running from police when he was struck by an unmarked MSP vehicle. 

“That man that killed my son — that pinned him against the wall. The video shows it plain as day,” said Cage. 

Sterling died later from his injuries, according to his attorneys. In the weeks since, Detective Sergeant Brian Keely has been charged with second-degree murder and involuntary manslaughter. The family and friends of Sterling and his attorneys gathered in Lansing on Friday to push for a change in the legal system. 

“When a police officer breaks the law here in Michigan, what we have to do is we have to be consistent with treating them the way we treat one of us who is not them,” said Johnson. “They’re still presumed innocent, they still get the lawyers. But I’ll tell you what they shouldn’t do, they should not be able to hide behind an investigation.”

Keely retired from his position with MSP in the days before his arraignment.