Stephon Clark’s brother talks mental health struggle during Sacramento meet as cops share new body cam rule

Stevante Clark, the heartbroken brother of police shooting victim Stephon Clark, made himself at home Tuesday night in Sacramento’s city hall.

Clark settled into a chair next to Sacramento Police Chief Daniel Hahn and put his feet on the desk.

He shook Mayor Darrell Steinberg’s hand, weeks after cursing the mayor and jumping on the table during a raucous meeting packed with protesters. Stevante began his brief remarks by leading the audience in chanting his brother’s name, then asking to meet privately with Hahn and Steinberg. He urged members of the media to stop broadcasting footage of his brother’s death because it is distressing the family.

Clark, who recently sought mental health treatment after police were called to a hotel where his family was staying, acknowledged his recent struggle with mental health to the council.

Steinberg assured him that it’s “nothing to be ashamed of.”

“We’ll help you. Everybody wants to help you,” Steinberg said.

“My heart is gone,” Clark said, repeatedly tapping his head. “Emotions, feelings…”

Police escorted two audience members from the council chamber without incident after repeatedly interrupting other speakers or using profanity. Many of the roughly 60 activists and community members set to speak called for the two police officers to be fired and criminally charged — though experts cite court decisions green-lighting officers’ use of lethal force if they reasonably fear for their safety.

During the meeting, the Sacramento Police Department issued their new written policy on when officers can turn off body cameras after two officers muted their microphones following the fatal shooting of Clark. The 22-year-old black man was shot and killed in his grandparents’ backyard.

Body camera footage of Clark’s killing reveals that the two officers who shot him were told to mute their microphones several minutes after the shooting.

The new policy requires officers to verbalize their reason for turning off the microphone.

Officers can turn off their cameras while dealing with a victim of sexual assault or if a supervisor instructs them to do so. They can also turn off the equipment if a victim or witness is refusing to provide a statement on camera and the situation is non-confrontational, or when speaking to a doctor, nurse or paramedic.

Steinberg said the council wants answers from Hahn in coming weeks on improvements to its policies and practices. He told Hahn that reconsidering the department’s foot-pursuit policy to minimize the use of lethal force should be “a top tier priority” for consideration.

“I think it gets at the essence of what we saw on that videotape and the essence of what we’re struggling with as a community here together,” Steinberg said.

With News Wire Services

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