Baton Rouge District Attorney Hillar Moore III recused himself from the investigation of the police shooting death of Alton Sterling, citing a personal relationship with the parents of one of the officers involved in the incident.
A new prosecutor will be appointed to oversee the investigation of officers Howie Lake II and Blane Salamoni,
The Times-Picayune reported.
Salamoni's parents have senior leadership positions within the Baton Rouge Police Department, according to the newspaper. Since 2009, Moore has worked with Salamoni's mother on more than 400 homicides when she was the violent crime and crime scene commander.
Salamoni's father commanded the police department's special operations unit and provided the DA with security coverage.
"My office is committed to justice for all parties," Moore said, adding that his decision to recuse himself from the case was due to "an equal commitment to transparency,"
The Huffington Post reported.
Sterling, 37, was shot and killed during a confrontation with police in a convenience store parking lot where he’d been selling CDs. Sterling's killing was filmed by bystanders and those videos have been widely circulated, fueling national protests, including those affiliated with the Black Lives Matter movement.
Another district attorney could be appointed to determine whether any state charges should be filed against Lake or Salamoni. Federal authorities also are investigating.
Moore's announcement is significant because the close working relationships between prosecutors and local law enforcement agencies means officers rarely face criminal charges,
Slate noted.
Twitter users applauded Moore's decision.
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