State Attorney's Office: Officer used deadly force correctly

Report: Officer, suspect struggled over Taser before shooting

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – State Attorney Angela Corey's office has ruled a Jacksonville Sheriff's Officer was justified when he used deadly force against a subject during a traffic stop that turned violent in November 2014.

Leonardo Little, 33, was pulled over Nov. 24 on the Westside on 103rd Street, just east of Interstate 295.

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Officer Cecil Grant said Little attacked him, and that's why he shot and killed him.

Police said Little was putting the officer's life in danger. They said Little (pictured below) grabbed Grant's Taser and was fighting back.

Little's family questioned the officer's actions.

DOCUMENT: State Attorney review of Leo Little shooting death

"I don't… I don't think that's what happened. I really don't. To be honest, I don't," said Taquarius Davis, Little's girlfriend who was riding with him when Grant pulled him over. "It doesn't really make any sense because that's just not the type of person that Leo was. I mean, I'm still shocked, and that was over a week ago. I just can't believe it."

Davis was emotional at a vigil held in December.

"This is my first time coming back up here since it happened," Davis said. "It's been tough. I'm still, kind of, still in shock."

Little's family said Grant's story just does not add up, even though they've shown no hard evidence to the contrary. 

Leonardo Little

"It is going to be hard," said Shajuane Little, Leonardo Little's older sister.

"He is my only son, and he was my baby," said Abagail Little, Leonardo Little's mother.

The family said shortly after the shooting that they were having a hard time coming to grips with Little's death and how detectives said he got into a scuffle with Grant.

"When the officer got back to the subject, the fight continued," JSO Director Tom Hackney said the day after the fatal shooting. "The wrestling went on there. (The) officer tried a second time to deploy (the) Taser, (but it) did not deploy as (the) officer wished."

Little's family said it wasn't like him to fight. They had just spoken to him before the shooting, and they said the allegations are out of character.

"He was happy talking," said Shonquette Little, Leonardo Little's younger sister. "I asked him how his day at work was, and he said, 'Oh, it was good.'"

"No, I don't believe that," Shajuane Little said of the allegations. "And if they say that is what Leo did, I want to see the video. Not only the video, if you have marks, I want to see it all, because I don't believe it."

"I absolutely do feel that there is a lot of unanswered questions as to how the officer handled the case," Abagail Little said.

"There was a young lady sitting in the car that has a very different story than the officer's," Little family attorney John Phillips said.

Phillips is also investigating. He said after the shooting that he was talking with witnesses and had ordered a private autopsy.

He said the report and other materials will be given to an independent forensic investigator for his analysis. 

In a statement, Phillips said: "The family of Leo Little and I met with Prosecutor John Guy July 8 and were informed that the State Attorney would not be further investigating, empaneling a grand jury or pursuing charges against Officer Grant for the death of Leo Little. Last November, we retained an independent autopsy, but the State withheld records for eight months, so we have not been able to have the matter concluded or investigated further or otherwise get any answers to questions as to why this traffic stop had to end in death. We have conflicting evidence at this point, as well as evidence of protocol violations. ... Jacksonville has had over 50 incidents of civilian death by cop and Florida has had over 600 in the past 15 years and not one has lead to charges against the officer. While officers face life and death situations every day, no one is that perfect. We simply want answers and this family has waited eight long months to even get a meeting. Hopefully, we will now finally be able to investigate and bring some closure to this family."

Little was previously arrested several times by the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office for non-violent offenses. He was once charged with resisting an officer without violence.