Congressman Cohen: DOJ Monitoring Darrius Stewart Investigation

[Washington, D.C.] – Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09), Ranking Member of the House Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution and Civil Justice, today announced the Department of Justice is monitoring the state investigation of the death of Darrius Stewart, a 19 year old African American Memphis man shot by a Memphis Police Officer following a routine traffic stop last summer. The Department of Justice also indicated it would take appropriate action if civil rights violations occurred.

“I am pleased the Department of Justice is monitoring the investigation,” said Congressman Cohen. “The shooting of Darrius Stewart by a Memphis police officer raised serious questions that must be answered. With the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation’s records regarding this incident sealed under state law, we need the Department of Justice to ensure the case is handled appropriately at the state level.”

The Department of Justice’s announcement came in response to a letter Congressman Cohen sent to Attorney General Loretta Lynch in July, shortly after the shooting. In the letter, the Congressman called on the Department of Justice to open an independent investigation into the death of Darrius Stewart. A copy of Congressman Cohen’s letter can be found here. A copy of the Department of Justice’s response can be found here.