"For nearly a decade, San Francisco filmmaker and community advocate Kevin Epps has lived in legal limbo, waiting for a courtroom to decide his fate in a case that has fueled debate over self-defense claims and the criminal justice system. A jury on Monday found Epps not guilty of murder in the 2016 shooting of Marcus Polk at Epps' Bernal Heights home. The verdict brought emotional moments from Epps, his family, and supporters who have followed the case for years."
"Epps' attorney, Julian Davis, said the jury reached the right conclusion on the murder charge. "We're grateful and happy that the jury had the common sense to find Mr. Epps not guilty on any murder charge," Davis said. "We're going to stand up for his constitutional right to a fair trial, which this prosecutor unfortunately violated multiple times during these proceedings.""
"After the verdict, Epps embraced his children and his mother, who have stood by him throughout the nine-year legal fight. Family, friends and community members also gathered at the courthouse to show support. "It means that we saw some semblance of justice here in San Francisco," said Malik Washington, a friend of Epps. "The community rallied behind Kevin Epps because he is a man of character," said another supporter, Rebecca Gallegos."
Kevin Epps was found not guilty of murder in the 2016 shooting of Marcus Polk at Epps' Bernal Heights home after nearly a decade of legal uncertainty. Epps maintained he fired in self-defense, telling investigators Polk forced his way into the home. Polk died at the scene and was a registered sex offender with a lengthy criminal history that included domestic violence, robbery and drug-related offenses. Although Epps was initially released after the shooting, prosecutors filed charges in 2019. Epps' attorney praised the verdict and criticized the prosecutor. Family and community members gathered to support Epps outside the courthouse.
Read at ABC7 San Francisco
Unable to calculate read time
Collection
[
|
...
]