Family of 12-year-old boy killed during persecution demands justice
The family of a 12-year-old boy killed during a chase continues to seek criminal charges against the state trooper and Paulding County deputies involved in the chase. People showed up at a rally in front of the State Capitol demanding action.
PAULDING COUNTY, Georgia – The family of a 12-year-old boy killed during a chase continues to call for criminal charges to be filed against the state trooper and Paulding County deputies involved.
People turned out for a rally in front of the State Capitol building on Wednesday demanding action.
“Le’den Boykins. Say his name,” the crowd demanded.
FAMILY WANTS ANSWERS AFTER 12-YEAR-OLD BOY KILLED IN CAR CHASED BY GSP TROOPERS
FOX 5 has been following the family’s push for justice for Le’den since the incident occurred in 2021.
What happened to Le’den Boykins?
In our initial report on September 15, 2021, Le’den’s father, Anthony Boykins, told FOX 5 reporter Alex Whittler that his son was riding in a car with his friend and the friend’s father, Charles Moore. .
The Georgia State Patrol said Moore’s car was pulled over on Bethel Church Road around 1 a.m. for speeding.
Investigators said the window did not roll down, so officers tried to open it. When that happened, he left.
During the ensuing chase, patrolmen used a pit maneuver to stop the car. The car flipped over and Le’den was thrown.
“I wish it would have stopped, but that doesn’t give them the right to roll over the car knowing there were kids in it,” Le’den’s father told FOX 5.
The boy’s parents were out of town at the time and said they were not allowed to see his body for several days after the accident.
What happened to the soldiers after the death of Le’den Boykins?
In 2021, FOX 5 reported that authorities claimed that the cops were being investigated.
By February 2022, when FOX 5 reviewed the Boykins story, there were no updates on that investigation.
The Paulding County Sheriff’s Office told reporter Portia Bruner that they were saddened by the tragedy, but it was the actions of the driver of the vehicle that put law enforcement officers in a position to stop him.
The Georgia Department of Public Safety has a policy manual with a specific chapter and subsection on activities. The section that was revised on April 7, 2016 states that “the PIT maneuver is considered a use of force and the individual actions of the trooper/officer must be objectively reasonable.” The manual provides a list of factors that affect the safety of the move. One of the factors mentioned is whether the children are visible in the vehicle.
Audio lasting more than eight minutes from a 911 call made that night shows Moore told a dispatcher there were children in the back seat.
“I’ve got my kids with me, man,” Moore could be heard saying on the recording.
“I already let them know that there are children in the car,” he said. “They’re trying to turn me around, man.”
12-Year-Old KILLED DURING CHASE IN PAULDING COUNTY, LAWYER SAYS IT NEVER SHOULD HAVE HAPPENED
As of Wednesday night, FOX 5 received no updates regarding a formal investigation. The charges against the police officer or the officers involved were not yet apparent.
Lawyers for the family want state attorney general Chris Carr to appoint a special prosecutor for the case.
What happened to Charles Moore?
Charles Moore was arrested after the chase. He faced a long list of charges including DUI, open container in a motor vehicle, speeding and driving on a suspended license.