Complaints about the fatal Decatur police shooting of Steve Perkins merged with questions by two grandfathers about the department’s role in the September death of their teenage grandson, during a chaotic City Council meeting Monday night.

Larry DeJarnett Sr. and Reginald McKenzie told the council that they are seeking answers in the death of Jaiden DeJarnett, a 16-year-old who police said died in a wreck at the end a 35-mile police pursuit on Sept. 4.

In a statement about the incident, Decatur police said a patrol officer attempted a traffic stop at 2:40 a.m. for an alleged traffic violation near Beltline Road Southwest/Alabama 67 and Danville Road.

The statement said the driver, Jaiden DeJarnett, of Harvest, failed to stop and led officers on a pursuit into Lawrence County. During the pursuit, the driver lost control of the vehicle and struck a tree. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

Larry DeJarnett described his grandson as a Sparkman High football player who was a “young, loving Black boy full of joy.”

McKenzie said his grandson went to Whataburger at 2:30 a.m., and “probably thought he was going to be in trouble by both of his granddaddies. He was chased to his death because allegedly he didn’t have his lights on.”

He said the chase was unnecessary.

“All they had to do is wait,” McKenzie said.

Larry DeJarnett said Jaiden DeJarnett “thought it was important enough to run from police. If I would have been there, I would have demanded Jaiden stop, and ‘let’s work through the process with the police.’”

Larry DeJarnett said he would expect the police officer “to be the adult in the room” by determining that “pursing a person at a high rate of speed was nonsense.”

He said he would expect the police officers to decide they’re not going to put the community, his grandson or even themselves in danger with a high-speed chase.

Larry DeJarnett said he requested a meeting with Police Chief Todd Pinion to discuss the details of the incident. His interest includes questions about whether the officers involved in the police pursuit, one of whom he believes was involved in Perkins’ death, were investigated in his grandson’s death.

McKenzie said he contacted the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency regarding the chase and his grandson’s death.

McKenzie said ALEA’s report says that it “seemed to be a normal chase.” However, he said he now has doubt because of the “false police report” filed in the Perkins case.

Pinion issued a statement apologizing for initially releasing an inaccurate description of the Sept. 29 police killing of Perkins. The statement came after security videos from Perkins’ neighbors were published on decaturdaily.com and began circulating on social media.

“We’re now wondering what really happened (in the death of my grandson) on Sept. 4,” McKenzie said.

City Council President Jacob Ladner said he expects the city “will give family members a response” in incidents like the death of Jaiden DeJarnett.

After the meeting, Pinion spoke with Larry DeJarnett and his family for about 10 minutes just inside the council chambers.

DeJarnett said Pinion answered some questions about his grandson’s death.

“I really feel there’s a level of negligence because I can’t understand why those police officers that were in pursuit of my grandson are back out on the street,” DeJarnett said.

He said the chief gave the family “his cookie-cutter response,” but they weren’t satisfied.

After the discussion, Pinion told The Decatur Daily he couldn’t comment about the case because it involved a juvenile.

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Punishment wanted

A major complaint of the protesters is that they think the three officers involved in the Perkins shooting haven’t been appropriately punished.

Police spokeswoman Irene Cardenas-Martinez said Tuesday that one officer is on administrative leave with pay while two officers were reassigned to administrative duties.

Edward Owens, pastor of Shiloh Missionary Baptist Church, questioned whether the same standard applies to the police involved in Perkins’ death “if Steve Perkins would have murdered them. We’ve all seen the videos from the neighbor’s house. If it were one of us (shooting), we would have been charged in five minutes.”

Protester Alainah Dailey said City Council has the authority to terminate the police chief and they should stop saying there’s nothing they can do.

This was the fifth straight council meeting attended by protesters since the Perkins shooting. There wasn’t an empty seat at Monday’s meeting.

Protester Tabitha Johnson said she’s frustrated with city officials and ALEA.

“We’re not getting answers,” Johnson said. “I keep coming to the meetings because Steve was my friend and I want answers. Eventually, if we continue to pray, the good Lord will make them give us answers.”

Protester Patrick Tucker said their main purpose now is “justice and accountability” for the three officers involved in the incident, the police chief and Mayor Tab Bowling, who on Monday missed his second straight council meeting.

“We want them to do the right thing,” Tucker said. “And that’s not being done. One thing we want them to know is we will not rest until the message of Steve Perkins is heard.”

Protester Marquis Gray said they hope to get justice by continuing to pressure city leaders to make the right decisions.

“It seems to me getting justice for Steve Perkins is not a priority,” Gray said. “There’s no expediency and there should be. It’s been over five weeks now, and (the Perkins family) have been given nothing. They’ve been told nothing.”

Gray said he believes that the city or ALEA would have already released the body camera footage or other evidence if it exonerated the police officers.

Ladner told the crowd he’s not happy with the way the city has dealt with the Perkins case and he has the same questions as the protesters.

“The communications that have come out of City Hall have been atrocious,” Ladner said. “And all that does is lead to questions that I also have and I have to fill that void with something. It leaves questions about what’s true and what’s not, so I’m with you.”

He said the answers “better happen quickly. We’ve got to be providing information to the public.”

Ladner said the city needs to do a better job of telling the public what steps are being taken and the status of an internal investigation by the Decatur Police Department.

“Where are we? When is something coming?” Ladner said to the crowd. “And that has been extremely frustrating. It’s been disappointing. I could go on and on and use a lot of words to describe it, but I’m with you and I hope that changes really soon. It better change really soon.”

Ladner said he’s going to start holding his own press conferences if he doesn’t start hearing more out of City Hall.

Councilmen Kyle Pike and Carlton McMasters said they want the same answers in the case that the protesters and Ladner want.

Pike said he believes that the shooting death of Perkins “should not have happened. I do think this was preventable. It was a true tragedy.”

City Attorney Herman Marks said he is “committed to find those answers,” but the officers involved are entitled to due process.

“I want justice for everyone,” Marks said. “The due process that’s been shared is our employees are entitled to have a hearing. You have my commitment I’m going to do my best to move this along.

“I know this process has been much longer than anticipated, but we don’t want to do something and not get it fully answered. The mayor is waiting for those answers too.”

Protester Craig Johnson announced he wants to hold a unity march and cookout on Saturday. He said the march would not be a protest, and he wants police and city officials to join the protesters.

However, Pinion denied Johnson’s request to march down Wilson Street, across the northbound U.S. 31 bridge and then return on the southbound bridge to Wilson Street and finish at Ingalls Harbor, where they would then hold the cookout.

“The chief said he doesn’t have the resources,” Johnson said. “If we were to do it without his approval, he would have enough police there to make sure it didn’t happen.”

Johnson said he will still hold the cookout, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., even though he can’t get permission for the march.

— [email protected] or 256-340-2432. Twitter @DD_BayneHughes.

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