Robinson died as a result of the injuries he suffered during a violent arrest in January 2019, during which officers pulled him from his car, slammed him to the ground and struck him repeatedly on his face and chest.
Desmond Barney, 31; Lincoln Lampley, 33; and Anthony Fox, 35, have been indicted on second-degree murder charges for causing fatal injuries, a grand jury has decided.
According to case files unsealed on Aug. 5, the jury found that the officers “willfully, unlawfully, and feloniously,” caused Robinson’s death. Barney, Lampley and Fox were initially placed on administrative leave following the incident, then allowed to return to duty.
On Jan. 13, 2019, officers were looking for the men suspected of killing a pastor earlier in the day when they approached Robinson. Robinson was pulled from his vehicle arrested, and charged with failure to obey a police officer and resisting arrest.
He was released from police custody, returned to his hotel room, and was later hospitalized. Robinson suffered a brain bleed and died in the hospital two days later. Three suspects have since been charged in the slaying of the pastor.
Robinson’s family released a statement following the grand jury’s decision, saying: “As the family of George Robinson, we are pleased the Jackson Police Department officers involved in his death have finally been charged with murder. For us, the charges prove that George’s life mattered and no one deserves to die the way he did. We are grateful that the District Attorney has taken this action. We have cooperated with the investigation in every way and will continue to do so until we finally get justice for our beloved George.”
Francis Springer, one of the attorneys for the officers, spoke after the indictment, saying, “The officers broke no law, nor did they use excessive force in dealing with Mr. Robinson.”
All three officers posted bond on Aug. 13.
