A trio of officers was indicted by a Florida grand jury in a case surrounding the 2021 police-involved killing of a man. The state attorney general was mum on specifics about the hearing but said about the cops’ actions, “the sanctity of a life must never be unjustifiably compromised.”

Calvin Wilks Jr. (Family Photo)

On June 6, three officers from the Crestview Police Department, Brandon Hardaway, William Johns, and Evan Reynolds, were charged in Okaloosa County Court in the death of Calvin Wilks Jr. after the city’s medical examiner determined the cause of death was a homicide, the press release obtained by Atlanta Black Star reads. 

The 40-year-old was killed during an encounter with the officers, who are now charged with manslaughter — a second-degree felony under Florida law punishable by a maximum sentence of fifteen years in prison — on Thursday, Oct. 14, 2021. The men were also suspended from the force.

Wilks’ death sparked protest as many believed the officers used excessive force when they encountered him early on that Thursday morning and struck him with a stun gun.

A 911 call was received at dispatch around 2:45 a.m. from a concerned citizen who heard a woman yelling “Please stop!” from a different residence, at 300 Hospital Drive.

When the officers arrived at the location, Wilks opened the door. After minimal conversation, Wilks agreed to cooperate with the cops but closed the door on them. 

Five minutes later, he re-opened the door but seemed to be “in a highly agitated state,” the department said, saying the woman who lived in the home he was in had gone out to the building’s parking lot. Officers tried to locate her but were unable to find the woman.

“Mr. Wilks continued to act aggressive and made several attempts to close the door on an officer’s foot, slamming it several times,” the October release from the department stated.

“Officers attempted to deescalate Mr. Wilks’ aggressive behavior. After receiving no cooperation from Mr. Wilks, officers attempted to detain Mr. Wilks who became combative and physically resisted by pulling away and kicking the detaining officers. During the incident, Mr. Wilks was tased in the hip, and eventually, officers were able to restrain him.”

According to the department, emergency medical services were called to assist because the responding officers believed Wilks was on drugs. However, when the EMS responded, Wilks was unresponsive, succumbing to his injuries the next day at North Okaloosa Medical Center.

Gillis E. Powell, the attorney representing the estate of Calvin Wilks in proceedings in a wrongful death action, said the indictment was the “right” decision to make.

“Mr. Wilks might have been poor, but he felt pain just as much as the fat cats of the world and he didn’t deserve to be tased to death and placed in a neck hold in his own home by these police officers who showed up without a warrant or anything else,” Powell said in a statement. “The grand jury got it right.” 

Family members of the deceased celebrated the decision to indict, according to NWF Daily News.

“I’m praising God for justice,” Wilks’ sister, Linda Maples said, “My brother didn’t deserve to die that night. The police job is to serve and protect, not to kill.”

Lewis Jennings, President of the Okaloosa Branch of the NAACP, was also optimistic justice for Wilks would be served, saying, “We are pleased the critical first step in holding these officers accountable has been accomplished. We remain hopeful justice will be served.”

After the proceeding, the case was referred to Ginger Bowden Madden, State Attorney for the 1st Judicial Circuit, state of Florida, who will lead the prosecution of this case.

Though the proceedings to determine the indictment are confidential by law and Madden is prohibited by oath to discuss details about the case, the state’s lawyer informed the public her office will “prosecute the cases accordingly,” with a fair understanding of both the civilians’ rights and officers’ duties.

“Let us understand that our law enforcement officers face a difficult job every day,” Madden said. “However, the sanctity of a life must never be unjustifiably compromised.” 

Hardaway, Johns, and Reynolds have been suspended from The Crestview Police Department.

The family has publicly challenged the officers’ recounting of the circumstances surrounding Wilks’ death after watching footage from that night. They even suggest video evidence support officers refused their loved one aid. Maples said her brother was zapped at least five times by the officers inside his own home.

She said, “Too many lives have been lost to hate behind a badge. Protect and serve is laughable. My brother was one of those lives lost to hate.” 

Another sister added, “The hardest thing to watch was even when it became clearly evident that our brother, our loved one, was in serious need of medical assistance after having been tased numerous times, officers stood over his body and watched as his health quickly declined to the point where my brother stopped breathing. They never administered any aid while waiting for EMS to arrive.”

“As a law enforcement agency, we must trust the justice system we are charged to enforce,” Police Chief Stephen McCosker said after the decision to charge members of his team was made. “We will continue to cooperate with all parties involved as we await the outcome of the upcoming trial.”

A fourth, unidentified officer had also been placed on administrative duty but was not indicted with the others.