Brian Rendon, the Lansing police officer who fatally shot Derrinesha Clay, a 17-year-old girl, in March 2011, “may have used excessive force by shooting her in the head,” US District Judge Robert Holmes Bell said. Clay’s mother, Mary Rush, has a lawsuit against the Lansing Police Department, seeking in excess of $10 million.
The security footage shows the girl, after breaking into the Lansing branch of Bank of America, was hiding from police, bending down on her knees and screaming, “I’m sorry, I’m sorry.” She was in no way being aggressive as claimed by officer Rendon.
This evidence, “allows a reasonable jury to conclude that … Rendon’s shot to Ms. Clay’s head was unreasonable because she was on her knees, she had already been shot in the stomach and she was no longer resisting.”
Rendon, in his defense, had asserted that Clay attacked him with a knife or a pair of scissors and that he shot her in self-defense. He first shot her in the stomach before firing the fatal gunshot to her head. Though police officers who witnessed the incident gave conflicting versions, Rendon was cleared by an internal affairs investigation for killing the young girl. The footage shows that his fellow officers were possibly lying about the incident.
The police department is still defending the actions of the officer, saying that Rendon’s actions were justified. “This incident was an unfortunate tragedy for everyone involved. Nonetheless, we strenuously disagree with Judge Bell’s ruling and stand by the findings of the external MSP investigation and Prosecuting Attorney Stuart Dunnings, both of which concluded that the officer’s actions were justified given the circumstances he faced,” Police Chief Mike Yankowski said in a statement.
According to police reports, Clay, a troubled teen runaway who had served jail time for home invasion, entered the bank after using a brick to smash through a window. No one knows what Clay was doing in the bank but assumed that she was trying to rob it, and was shot dead because she resisted arrest and attacked the officer with a knife.
So why is it illegal if I were to hit a police officer unarmed but not illegal for a police officer to kill a child in cold blood? I will bet a million of that money the officer is WHITE and this poor baby whose life was stolen was Dark skinned. That is a hate crime and that man NEEDS to be pulled out of the force.
That’s so sad…that the cap is being looked at at a racial killing.she was a criminal.you are a ignorant person to place it as racist. If it was a white person breaking in you business and you shot him is it racist? No. Now shut the fuck up.
A White person would not have been shot while on their knees saying they were sorry. I think you are an idiot, just read your comment out loud.
Dumb ass white people
You are even more ignorant, the girl was saying sorry, she wasn’t resisting arrest, the pig just shot her dead, hope karma strikes him down and his supporters like you. Makes m sick, when will this violence ends? only when the police state is destroyed
Yeah you’re about as ignorant as it comes if you don’t want to acknowledge race in a situation as such
Kill yourself please we don’t need anymore idiotic opinions in this world
Telling someone to kill themselves? What are you 16 grow the fuck up. Having a different opinion doesn’t mean they need to kill themselves dipshit
Dumb ass white people?? Yet ot was the black girl robbing thw bank so obviously dumb ass black bitch. Black people are the ones keeping the racisim alive with their black lives matter shit. She should not have been shot like that no. But it seems all I hear everuwhere is black gaping against whites and then have the balls to play the victims. Pathetic
you dumb as hell
“Poor baby” “this child” ?? Are you kidding me? Sure it was wrong she was shot! if she was “in her bed” being a “poor child” she would’ve been just fine! A thief!! All this person was!!
Well, you say that, but Aiyana Jones was sleeping in her bed and was shot by a police officer who was later cleared of all charges.
You clearly have no compassion, so I doubt it matters to you.
People do bad things from time to time. It is not one single event that makes up the character of a person. If I tripped an old lady trying to cross the street, and as a result, you hit me with your car, does that make it ok? Two wrongs do not make a right.
Your a idiot! She wasn’t robbing the bank she broke in to hide. … she was bipolar and schizophrenic according to her family! Comment when you have the entire story not just because you think you know.
Christina, you racist shit. Don’t you dare play the race card. otherwise i’ll pull out the facts that not every white person is a psychotic killer. and maybe ill not talk about the majority of drive by shooters colour. Or gang ethnicity.
Funny that you say this when most American serial killers are white. Funny that you call her racist for pointing out that for the most part it is white cops shooting black people.
“not every white person is a psychotic killer”
did you seriously pull the “not all white people” card? Really? Do you honestly believe that justifies any response whatsoever? If you think that is a valid argument, you need to get you brain checked out.
You sound like a damned fool. What if that was your 17 year old child? Stop with the what if’s. If someone had a knife and I had a gun and I just shot them dead without asking them to drop the knife or die… well, the law would throw my behind in prison for murder!
The fact of the matter is the camera caught the TRUTH and the cops are liars. What about the truth do you not understand? She was executed and because she smashed a window and hid, doubled over with a bullet in her stomach… I guess finishing her off with one to the head is just fine with you. You, sir are in need of a mental health evaluation.
Its interesting to see how in America its argued this must be a racist act, yet in Australia they’d be claiming its sexist. Funny how the world applies its own agendas to everything depending which part of the world you are in. As an outsider who doesnt really have an opinion though, Im willing to concede it was probably a racism thing. Seems to happen a lot in America.
She was a career criminal. Good riddance. If she hadn’t been in the bank she would still be alive. Do I care she was shot in the head, NO!
A career criminal at age 17… You apparently haven’t met a troubled teen that turned it around. I pray you dont have children that make mistakes. But then again, if you are white, your children will be given multiple chances to fuck up without penalty.
I don’t understand how some people can be so heartless.. She deserves some jail time, not to be executed by being shot point blank in the skull? Jesus
Theft was once punished by cutting off the hands and or fingers, we decided it was barbaric so we imprisoned them instead; now you want execution for theft… You are claiming that a barbaric practice is too lenient, this in turn makes you something more primitive then a barbarian. So sir or madam “Peter”, you are a neanderthal. There are few creatures with empathy on this planet and as a human without it you are ‘defective’ and should be placed into a mental health institution to be repaired or taken away from the major populace.
I have been arrested multiple times before I was 19. Then I turned my life around and joined the Army. I’ll be out in a few months with an honorable and going to college. People can and will change. Anyways, what this cop did was wrong. This dude was straight pointing at her head which you aren’t trained to do so. I’m tired of the police feeling so entitled and everyone else allowing them to be that way. The U.S. has the most people in jail for non violent crimes, and any other crimes. We’re not beating other countries by a small margin, it is substantial. This has become a police country. It’s quite sickening.
You nasty ass sick person, your day will come! That’s for sure.
Can’t believe some of you red neck Americans, shame on you and your Country!
Why are we defending criminals now a days? She robs homes… attempts to rob a bank.. attacks a cop with a deadly weapon. She ends up dead.. good riddance another piece of criminal scum off the streets.
Im curious what every one would be saying if she had managed to kill the cop… would any one care about them? or their family?
Do you really think that shooting a 17 year old girl in the head, whom was on her knees, was justice? This is an armed man against a 17 year old girl. Why is shooting people dead the first line of defence? They are trained for these situations. She should have been arrested, judged by a jury and served for her crime. Not killed on her knees.
What if he were to try to arrest the girl and got stabbed again, only fatally this time? The cop would have died, the worthless criminal would have lived, and this story would never reach the world. Does it sound right to any of you that if a cop was murdered in cold blood it’d be perfectly fine, but when a burgling, stealing outlaw that stabbed somebody is killed it’s a tragedy? Murder isn’t just, but the criminal is dead rather than the cop that kills criminals. The world is crowded and we can’t afford bank robbery. This death was for the better, macho cop scapegoat aside.
It clearly states that there were other officers there that witnessed the incident. Are you seriously telling me that multiple officers couldn’t overpower a 17 year old girl, and possibly take away what ever weapon she had? Seriously? And did you miss the part where it said she had already been shot once in the stomach and had already surrendered? She was on her knees, screaming “I’m sorry I’m sorry”. It was on video. I don’t know about you, but that doesn’t sound to me like she was much of a threat anymore. And yet the office still went ahead and shot her anyway. That’s not justice, that’s taking advantage of the weapon on your hand and the badge on your chest. By that point they could have handled the situation much differently. And just because a teen is troubled and makes bad choices means that they deserve to die? That’s a horrible way to think about it. She obviously had issues. She needed to be locked up, gotten the help that she needed, and could have turned her life around. Just because she was a criminal at 17 didn’t mean that she didntI’deserve to be on this earth anymore . it didn’t mean that with discipline and help she couldn’t have turned around and become a great person that contributed positively to society . I’ve met people like that, who had very troubled pasts and made horrible decisions, and completely turned their lives around and are now doing great things. This girl never even got a chance to do that. I’m in no way justifying or defending a criminal. What she did was of course wrong and the first shot was justified, but not the second. I’m just saying that things really didn’t have to end this way.
And no one is saying that a cop getting killed is a good thing. That would have been horrible too. No killing is good.
You can’t play ‘what if’ because it didn’t! If the cop died, he died a hero. But now a dead flower, like this young girl, can’t blossom, because of a man who’s wearing a bullet proof vest, has pepper spray, a baton, taser, probably taller stronger and heavier, couldn’t handle her. Sounds like a little bitch cop to me IMHO.
Exactly.
I agree she was a criminal and needed to be punished but if you truly believe in our justice system which is broken. The cop should have known she was no longer a threat since she was on her knees the police have this since of superiority that they can do whatever they want and their superiors will help cover up what ever they need to. I’m a white American I believe this cop was wrong.
America first lost its dream and now mistakes extremely violent reaction towards criminals for justice. Speaks of a place full of fear about to be kneeled down and sodomized by its own control system. Really sad for a place of freedom and choices it used to be. Skin colour doesnt make a difference when it comes to call things by its name. And that and so many other cases in America nowadays are deemed brutality all over the world. Too much xanax in the water???
This girl was obviously a troubled teen. Death was the last thing that she needed. What she needed was intervention, good discipline, and the chance and support to turn her life around for the better. No, being a criminal was in no way good. But that doesn’t mean that she was a horrible person or that her life couldn’t have been turned around and made positive. If she was a serious threat to them, and there was absolutely no other way to stop her (and you’re seriously telling me that multiple officers couldn’t find a way to overpower a 17 year old girl?) then fine, shoot. But if she had already been shot, was on her knees, and yelling I’m sorry, was it really ok for her to be killed? I don’t understand why officers are shooting to kill now when in many of these situations other things could have been done instead. And it saddens me so much seeing all of these people saying that it was a good thing that they killed this 17 year old girl. That’s a horrible thing to say. Even if she was a criminal, you think she didn’t deserve to live? That if given the proper help she couldn’t have become a positive contributer to society? She had her whole life ahead of her, and people are rejoicing that she was killed because she was troubled and made some bad choices? Human kind is becoming such a mean, cold hearted species…..
I see so many people willing to condemn this poor girl, who clearly just needed a second chance at a real life. It’s disheartening how many people want to take away her humanity simply because she broke into a home and attempted to rob a bank. Regardless of whether or not she had attacked the cop, she was destabilized when he decided to shoot her in the head. Is it because she’s black that you’ve given up hope on her? Is it because she’s had a criminal record that you decide she’s garbage? This nation that claims to be Christian is utterly devoid of Christian love and compassion. May she rest in peace, may justice be done, and may this police officer never know another second of peace.
and this is why our country is so fucked up. Built on greed fueled by murder. 300 years ago people murdered the natives with disease ridden clothing and just straight up killed them for their land. People continue to wonder why it’s still happening and I don’t know why.
There are so many heartless dumb ass ppl that comment on this you ppl have no remorse at all she was a kid yes she made a mistake but was on her knees already in submission where is I right to kill her so many ppl who their true racist colors on these pages if she were white you would all be singing a different tune stop looking at justcolor and look at it as a human being whether commuting a crime or laying in bed being killed by a officer when in a position of submission is ludacris. And i still pray for u racist assholes cuz not only will karma one day play a part but judgement day will determine what u truly deserve for what’s in your heart as a human being or as you all seem to use it a good American
It never ceases to amaze me how this kind of police execution…and also the ensuing defence arguments (eg as shown in some comments above like Peter and C), can continue to happen in the USA……And how that country, one of the major powers on our planet, one of the richest, most developed countries on our planet can breed so many million FUCKING IGNORAMUSES WHO CANNOT STOP THIS SHIT GOING ON. Its fucking beyond me and I’m just glad I live in Europe, I’m glad I’m English in fact, I’m glad my country hasn’t gone completely nuts on guns, even our regular POLICE DON’T CARRY GUNS …CAN YOU AMERICANS EVEN IMAGINE THAT?? I used to travel to the USA a lot for my job and I’m so glad I don’t have to do it any more. I wouldn’t go there even if I was offered a free 5* all expenses paid holiday. I am truly sorry for all the bad shit that my ancestors did in colonising your country, the slavery trade, the fact that they populated your country with criminals and undesirables who were transported/escaped from England. Maybe the French would have made a better job. Anyhow, all that shit has turned the United States into a nation of fuckwits. Really sort your shit out please. Stop this police state shit. Get the politicians on board. Thats the only way. PS. I recommend a good book to read about the history of USA and why it has turned out the way it is…it focusses especially on the story of Native Americans….Thirteen Moons by Charles Frazier (author of Cold Mountain). Once again, I apologise for the part the English played ….seriously there are lots of people who have been bred/brought up “not right in the head”
Sorry but this one’s got me really angry now so I have to comment again……It never ceases to amaze me how this kind of police execution…and also the ensuing defence arguments (eg as shown in some comments above like Peter and C), can continue to happen in the USA……And how that country, one of the major powers on our planet, one of the richest, most developed countries on our planet can breed so many million FUCKING IGNORAMUSES WHO CANNOT STOP THIS SHIT GOING ON. Its fucking beyond me and I’m just glad I live in Europe, I’m glad I’m English in fact, I’m glad my country hasn’t gone completely nuts on guns, even our regular POLICE DON’T CARRY GUNS …CAN YOU AMERICANS EVEN IMAGINE THAT?? I used to travel to the USA a lot for my job and I’m so glad I don’t have to do it any more. I wouldn’t go there even if I was offered a free 5* all expenses paid holiday. I am truly sorry for all the bad shit that my ancestors did in colonising your country, the slavery trade, the fact that they populated your country with criminals and undesirables who were transported/escaped from England. Maybe the French would have made a better job. Anyhow, all that shit has turned the United States into a nation of fuckwits. Really sort your shit out please. Stop this police state shit. Get the politicians on board. Thats the only way. PS. I recommend a good book to read about the history of USA and why it has turned out the way it is…it focusses especially on the story of Native Americans….Thirteen Moons by Charles Frazier (author of Cold Mountain). Once again, I apologise for the part the English played ….seriously there are lots of people who have been bred/brought up “not right in the head”
America became screwed once it turned into a police state
I’m really shocked that so many of the US population seem to think it’s justifiable that cops are going about just executing people like this. Thats what it is, cold blooded execution. they decide to be judge and jury and shoot to kill, no due process of the law option for the victim (yes even a criminal can be a victim). its disgusting that no politicians are doing anything about it. i glad we dont have gun law like this in Europe
since when should stealing result in death. in what way was she threatening their lives. explain this. if stealing should result in death this whole country shouldn’t exist. that’s real.
Brothers and Sisters don’t waste your time trying to reason with cave n!@@ers. They are mentally, morally and soon to be physically dead. These neanderthal apes are depraved and rigid racist. The mayonnaise monkeys should have never been let out of the caves of Europe.
I put this down to America being too bloody gun friendly regardless what colour these people were guns are used to much in America bloody off three heads it’s ridiculous they are killing machines end off in England the average cop does not carry a gun and gun crime is pretty low here I just think you should be highly trained if you carry a gun like military or armed police not a fat doughnut eating cop who does really give a shit about justice pure animals I feel sorry for your nation