A special prosecutor will announce on Friday whether a former Lonoke County deputy will face criminal charges in the June fatal shooting of 17-year-old Hunter Brittain, according to a Wednesday morning news release.
Fifth Judicial District Prosecutor Jeff Phillips, who was named special prosecutor for the case July 12, said he will be making the announcement at a 10 a.m. news conference in Russellville.
Former Sgt. Michael Davis shot and killed Hunter Brittain, 17, of McRae at about 3 a.m. on June 23 on Arkansas 89, just south of Cabot. Phillips will decide whether Davis’ use of deadly force was justified or if criminal charges will be filed.
Authorities have released few details about the incident, but Brittain's family members and their attorneys have maintained Brittain was working on his truck at the time, and after being pulled over during a test drive, he exited his truck to place a bottle of antifreeze behind a wheel because the vehicle wouldn't shift into park.
Meanwhile, Davis' attorney Robert Newcomb has said that Brittain didn't respond to Davis' oral commands when he jumped out the backward-moving vehicle and reached into the back of the truck.
Davis was fired the week after the shooting because he didn’t activate his body camera in a timely manner, Lonoke County Sheriff John Staley said on July 1.