Letter to Eric Holder, Attorney General - Study Ellingson Case
Letter
The Honorable Eric H. Holder, Jr.
Attorney General
U.S. Department of Justice
950 Pennsylvania Ave., NW
Washington, D.C. 20530
Dear Attorney General Holder,
As we discussed yesterday, I am writing to you regarding the tragic death of my constituent
Brandon Ellingson, who drowned while hand-cuffed and in the custody of Missouri state troopers after they arrested him on the Lake of the Ozarks on May 31, 2014.
According to some reports in the media, there continue to be important unanswered questions about, among other things, whether the officer involved in his arrest was properly trained for water safety, whether he gave Brandon a floatation device that was appropriate for an individual in handcuffs, whether the speed of the police boat and Brandon's positioning on the boat caused him to fall into the water, and whether all efforts were made to save Brandon's life afterward. In addition, questions persist in the media about whether Missouri officials conducted a thorough and impartial investigation into Brandon's death.
I'm sure you agree that whenever an individual's death is alleged to have been caused by federal or state law enforcement officers, the matter deserves a thorough, independent investigation, including by federal authorities if necessary and appropriate. Obviously, the Department of Justice has aggressively fulfilled its mission in this regard in other cases recently.
With this letter, I am passing on to you a letter and materials provided to me by an attorney for
Brandon's family regarding Brandon's death and the investigations that were subsequently conducted in Missouri. I respectfully request that you give this information all due consideration and expect that you will call forth the full authority and resources of the Department to investigate whether any federal civil or criminal laws were violated.
I very much appreciate your assurances to me yesterday that you will personally review these materials.
Thank you for your attention to this important matter. Should you have further questions about these materials, please do not hesitate to contact the attorney representing Brandon's family, whose contact information is included.
Sincerely,
Chuck Grassley
Source