In a media conference, Prosecutor Chris Becker used photos, dashboard and bodycam video to show why GRPD Officer Ben Howie was justified for using deadly force during a domestic call on May 30th.
“These are a closeup of the knives he had in his possession when he stabbed the dog and when he came at the officers.”
A caller stated her son, Eddie Deans Jr., was threatening to kill his family and himself. When police arrived, Deans threw a lit Molotov cocktail at a cruiser then ran into the home, sparking an hour-long standoff.
Deans then fled, attempting to carjack a vehicle, stabbed a police K9 and charged officers with multiple knives in a nearby backyard. Officer Howie fired, killing him.
Becker noted officers tried several less-lethal methods first, and that Deans – who was on parole for murder and had a history of mental illness – had shown a pattern of dangerous behavior and posed an immediate threat.
“There’s just no way forward to proceed to file any sort of charges. We have to prove self-defense beyond a reasonable doubt. There’s no way we could convince a jury this was not a reasonable amount of force given the totality of the circumstances as we have to present.”
Toxicology reports showed no drugs or alcohol in Deans' system.
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