LRPD Chief Keith "Swaggy K" Humphrey got away with murder in 1999

 DEAD MEN TELL NO TALES

What you didn't know about Little Rock Police Chief Keith Humphrey:

In 1999, Keith Humphrey murdered an unarmed man by shooting him five times, including his back, while face-down on the ground and got away with it.

FLASHBACK: Off-duty officer not charged in fatal Arlington shooting

Slain man's family criticizes decision in Arlington case

11/12/99

By Nancy Calaway and Rachel Horton / Arlington Morning News

An off-duty Arlington police officer who fatally shot an unarmed shoplifting suspect at Six Flags Mall in June has been cleared of wrongdoing.

A Tarrant County grand jury declined Thursday to indict Officer Keith Humphrey on a murder charge in connection with the slaying of 41-year-old Roy Don Bearden.

The officer was also cleared by an internal affairs investigation, police officials said Thursday.

Investigators said Officer Humphrey, 35, was justified in using deadly force in the June 23 incident.

Mr. Bearden was killed after struggling with the officer and [allegedly] threatening to shoot him.

"The whole incident is so unfortunate. This is tragic enough, but it could have been even more tragic if [Mr. Bearden] had carried out the threats," said Richard Carter, Officer Humphrey's attorney.

"Then people would look to Keith and say, 'Why do you let this happen?' "

Mr. Bearden's relatives criticized jurors for not indicting Officer Humphrey, who shot at Mr. Bearden five times in a busy Dillard's Department Store.

"I can't believe they let this guy go. This is unreal," said Ronnie

Bearden, the victim's brother. "Where is justice?"

Officer Humphrey, a five-year member of the department, was working an off-duty assignment in plain clothes when the shooting occurred at the mall near State Highway 360 and Division Street in east Arlington.

Mr. Bearden was suspected of stealing an electric razor minutes earlier at Sears.

Officer Humphrey reportedly chased him through the store yelling commands, as Mr. Bearden yelled threats that he had a weapon. Pepper spray was ineffective, as was physical force against Mr. Bearden, police said.

When Mr. Bearden moved his hand toward his waistband, Officer Humphrey shot him. Mr. Bearden continued to move and yell, so Officer Humphrey shot him again, police said.

No weapon was found on Mr. Bearden or in the store.

Ronnie Bearden questioned the decision not to indict, saying Officer Humphrey was not justified in shooting his brother repeatedly. He said three of the five shots were fired after his brother had fallen to the ground.

"How do you shoot a man in the back when he is down?" Mr. Bearden said.

"What was the justification for that? He was bleeding to death as it is; he probably would have died anyway.

And this guy is a police officer, well-trained not to do stuff like that. That's murder, to me."

LRPD Chief Humphrey shot & killed an unarmed
man in his back face-down and got away with it.

The Tarrant County medical examiner's office found what police described as a large amount of cocaine in Mr. Bearden's system.

"I don't think it's fair," said Dawn Bearden, the shooting victim's 22-year-old daughter. "I think no justice has been served. I mean, a man gets shot five times in the mall, and other people could have gotten shot, too. I'm speechless."

The Arlington Police Department's internal investigation was completed on Oct. 1. The results were kept confidential to avoid influencing the grand jury.

Police Chief Theron Bowman said he hoped the grand jury's decision would help the police department and the families of both the victim and the officer "put this all behind us and be a better community for it."

Officer Humphrey returned to work a week after the shooting and was kept on desk duty until the investigations were complete. His attorney said Officer Humphrey would ask to be returned to his patrol position.