Judge Carmen McLean questions why the agent fired
D.C. Superior Court judge at a preliminary hearing
“The agent fired “for reasons that are completely unclear to me.””
Open source (opens in a new tab)Homeland Security Claims About Shootings by Federal Agents Unravel in CourtSection on the shooting of Phillip M. Brown and the October 21 preliminary hearing
Source and context
Reporting
Homeland Security Claims About Shootings by Federal Agents Unravel in Court (opens in a new tab)Section on the shooting of Phillip M. Brown and the October 21 preliminary hearing
About this source
The report compares Homeland Security’s public descriptions of several shootings with testimony, video and court proceedings.
Archived copy (opens in a new tab)Before the quotation
McLean considered evidence during a preliminary hearing arising from the encounter.
After the quotation
Her comment reflected the court’s difficulty reconciling the gunfire with the evidence presented.
How this statement is classified
Challenged the characterization
Case context: Was HSI Agent Benedict Bebber justified in firing at Phillip M. Brown?
The label describes this statement’s response within the context above.
Why this label?
The judge’s statement directly challenges the asserted justification by saying the reason for firing was unclear.
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Was HSI Agent Benedict Bebber justified in firing at Phillip M. Brown?
Explore the case context, sources and public responses.
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Read the full caseNot In Our Name
“It is not a reason to fire into his car, and it is not why the shooting was left out of two police reports.”Read statement
“It demonstrates that Homeland Security acted similarly to they did in Minneapolis with Renee Good, using the vehicle as an excuse to attempt to murder someone in cold blood. We demand charges. We want federal agents held accountable, as well as MPD and investigators. You cannot nearly take someone’s life in D.C. and simply return to work, continuing to patrol our streets.”Read statement
“While MPD released only a brief segment of the officer’s body camera footage, it highlights what Mr. Brown’s legal team has maintained since the incident—he was nearly killed by his own government without justification.”Read statement