OMAHA, Neb. (KMTV) — Despite calls for a special prosecutor, Douglas County Attorney Don Kleine says he will not appoint one in the case involving the OPD officer who shot and killed a man while serving a warrant.
- "I don't know why I would, I have a job to do and that's my responsibility," Kleine said.
- State Senator Terrell McKinney published a response calling for a special prosecutor.
- Monday, after reading McKinney's response, Kleine re-stated he would not appoint a special prosecutor.
- In response, McKinney said, "nothing he does really ever really surprises me."
- This case will go to a grand jury for review which is standard practice for all law enforcement shootings in Nebraska.
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
Last week Douglas County Attorney Don Kleine announced his decision to not charge Officer Adam Vailin the death of Cameron Ford.
That news sparked weekend protests.
When reporters asked Kleine on Thursday about appointing a special prosecutor for this case, he said he wouldn't.
"I don't know why I would, I have a job to do and that's my responsibility and so I am not going to put it off on somebody else," Kleine said Thursday.
In response, state Senator Terrell McKinney wrote a statement, published last week, calling on Kleine to appoint a special prosecutor to review the evidence.
"I hope that Douglas County Attorney Don Kleine decides to appoint a special prosecutor, I hope that the police department decides to ban no knock warrants," Kleine said.
Reporter Molly Hudson showed McKinney’s statement to Don Kleine on Monday the first time he had seen it.
"My answer is no, absolutely not, I am going to do my job, just like I have always done, and I really don't, that doesn't impact me in any way," Kleine said.
He says he's confident in his decision and won't appoint a special prosecutor.
Molly: "Are you confident that they would decide the same way that you decided in this case."
“Well, I think anybody that knows the law and looks at the case in its entirety would find the same way I have found," Kleine said.
After reporter Molly Hudson told McKinney what Kleine told her about not reconsidering this was his reaction.
"Nothing he does really ever really surprises me, I don't think he actually works for the, you know, the people," McKinney said.
This case will go to a grand jury for review which is standard practice for all law enforcement shootings in Nebraska.
