Justice Department to Probe Temple shooting: Black Businessman Killed in Altercation with Baton Rouge Police

 

US Justice Department is investigating the shooting death of George Temple the Second, killed in February by a bystander during a scuffle with a Baton Rouge Police Department officer. State Representative Michael Jackson of Baton Rouge says the U-S Justice Department has asked the F-B-I to investigate Temple's death.Jackson says the point of the investigation is to see if Temple's civil rights were violated.A Justice Department spokesman confirms that the agency is looking into the shooting.Temple was shot and killed February 17th during a scuffle with a Baton Rouge police officer that began when he was pulled over for cutting into a funeral procession. During the fight with Officer Brian Harrison, Temple was shot five times. Authorities said one of the shots came from the officer's gun. The other four came from the gun of Perry Stephens, who authorities say came to help the officer during the struggle. According to an autopsy, one of Stephens' shots hit Temple in the head and killed him. Police say Temple offered a bribe to the police office and a struggle began when the officer attempted to arrest Temple. [more]