Vol 7, No. 1 (Summer, 2006)

Trooper Morningstar Acquitted!

Michigan State Trooper Jay Morningstar has been acquitted of all charges following a three-week trial.

In a highly-charged case in which the media pitted the white officer against the black suspect, Jay Morningstar had been charged with second-degree murder and manslaughter in the death of a violent man who threatened him.

Responding to a 911 call from “The Detroiter” tavern (in the dangerous Greektown area of Detroit) at 12:30 a.m. on April 14, 2003, he was approached by an aggressive man. The officer shouted to the suspect, Eric Williams, “Police! Raise your hands and stop.”

Williams, whose 147 previous encounters with the law included 27 violent incidents, ignored the order and kept coming toward Morningstar with his hand under his jacket. His gestures were threatening and it appeared that he was hiding a weapon. A video taken of the event shows that Williams was behaving irrationally and that the police officers were in danger.

It was a moment of truth. Officer Morningstar had a split second to decide: Is this man armed and will I be his victim? When Williams was just a few feet away, Officer Morningstar, fearing for his life, fired one shot at Williams that killed him instantly.

Eric Williams had been on a drunken rampage that night, throwing a chair inside the bar and a brick outside the tavern. At the time of his death, he was legally drunk and had cocaine in his system as well. Although Williams was unarmed, Trooper Morningstar’s actions were proper.

He had reasonable grounds to believe that Williams was armed.
Williams’ family filed a multimillion dollar law suit for wrongful death. The situation became highly charged with accusations of racism against Officer Morningstar. With the second-degree murder charge carrying a sentence of life imprisonment, it was vital that Officer Morningstar receive a fair trial.

In preparation for and during the trial, the Law Enforcement Legal Defense Fund (LELDF) provided legal assistance and expert witnesses to help Trooper Morningstar win his case.