Family Of Stavian Rodriguez React To DA’s Decision To Drop Charges In Nov. 2020 Shooting

A mother said she is heartbroken after hearing the charges in her son's case will be dismissed with prejudice.

Friday, July 28th 2023, 5:12 pm

By: Anjelicia Bruton

OKLAHOMA CITY -

A mother said she is heartbroken after hearing the charges in her son's case will be dismissed with prejudice.

In a statement, Stavian Rodriguez’s mom Cameo Holland said:

“When the District Attorney of Oklahoma County apologizes to your face for the justice system failing you it’s clear we need changes in the law. That’s what happened today.”

Three years ago, 15-year-old Rodriguez was shot and killed by police outside a gas station in southwest Oklahoma City.

Officers Bethany Sears, Jared Barton, Corey Adams, John Skuta, Brad Pemberton were charged with first-degree manslaughter in March 2021 following the November 2020 shooting death of 15-year-old armed robbery suspect Rodriguez. Rodriguez was killed after officers shot him 13 times outside of Okie Gas & Express.

Rodriguez attempted to rob the store. The clerk locked him inside before the police arrived. He walked out to more than a dozen officers waiting on him. They were supposed to appear in court on August 7, but that won't be happening.

Holland told her attorney that his news feels like her son was killed again Friday.

“Before I leave Oklahoma, laws that allow officers to kill children will be changed and every police officer that is ever hired or trained by Oklahoma City Police Department will know my son’s name, Stavian Rodriguez,” Holland said.

Rand Eddy is the attorney for Rodriguez's family and said the following statement:

“It’s frustrating and the case has been on hold for two and half years because the police officer had exercised their right under the fifth amendment not to incriminate themselves. They’ve been on paid leave this entire time and it’s really, disappointing,”

Eddy said they still plan to file a civil suit.

In that same statement, Rodriguez's mom also said quote:

“All the officers needed to do to escape the consequences of killing my child was claim they felt threatened. How did they feel threatened when there were 30 of them each with multiple weapons. The answer is they didn’t feel threatened, they felt entitled.”

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Anjelicia Bruton

Anjelicia Bruton joined the News 9 family as a multi-media journalist in December 2020. She came to Oklahoma City from a station in Columbus, Georgia. In Columbus, Anjelicia covered stories on post at Fort Benning, deadly tornadoes in Alabama and an array of other stories.