Review Board Says Orange County (FLA) Deputy at Fault in Fatal Shooting of Black Man

• Police Shoot & Kill Wrong Suspect -  Thought he had a gun -  Pulling Pants Up

A citizens' review board says an Orange County deputy was at fault when he shot and killed a man last year. Deputy Richard Mankewich was cleared of criminal charges earlier this year. But the nine-member review board found otherwise Monday night, saying it believes Mankewich was guilty of excessive force and abuse of power. Sgt. Richard Mankewich fatally shot Marvin Williams in mid-January when Williams was fleeing from officers. He was mistaken for a homicide suspect. Mankewich told investigators and a grand jury that he thought Williams was going for a gun because he reached toward his waist. But most of the board members believed Williams was pulling up his pants.  As it turned out, Williams was not armed, had no drugs on him and had no outstanding warrants. Williams was also the wrong man, not really the murder suspect they thought they were chasing.Mankewich, a 13-year veteran of the sheriff's office, was the subject of public scrutiny in 1997 when he was involved in the stop and arrest of a Miami police major along Florida's Turnpike. The major filed a civil rights suit that claimed he was stopped because he was black. The suit was later settled.[more] and [more]

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