Photo: Getty Images
A former Jackson police officer charged in the death of a Black man who was tased more than two dozen times is asking for a judge to dismiss his murder charge, according to the Mississippi Clarion-Ledger. Avery Willis is among three officers charged in connection with the death of 41-year-old Kieth Murriel.
Willis was indicted on murder charges alongside officer Kenya McCarty, while officer James Land was indicted on a manslaughter homicide charge.
The three Jackson Police Department officers reportedly tased Murriel repeatedly in the parking lot of an extended stay hotel on the evening of December 31, 2022. While previous reporting stated the officers tasered Murriel at least 26 times over the course of 10 minutes, an autopsy later found he was stunned a total of 83 times.
Bodycam footage shows the officers neglected to check Murriel’s condition until paramedics arrived approximately an hour later. By then, Murriel was reportedly no longer breathing and later died while still in police custody.
Willis’s attorney, Michael Cory, filed three motions in March 2026 asking for a judge to exclude cause of death testimony from the state's medical examiner, prohibit any evidence ruling the manner of death as a homicide, and dismiss the indictment for second-degree depraved heart murder.
Cory argues the medical examiner's expert testimony on Murriel’s cause of death failed to account for all contributing factors, such as Murriel's phencyclidine (PCP) intoxication and history of arteriosclerotic cardiovascular disease, nor did it consider Murriel's resistance during the arrest.
The state reportedly claimed it needs time to prepare an expert witness in response to the defense's arguments.
"A continuance will promote judicial economy, ensure full and fair litigation of complex evidentiary issues, and protect the integrity of the proceedings," the state argued. "This request is made in good faith and not for the purpose of delay, but to ensure that this homicide case is properly prepared and presented."
The Black Information Network is your source for Black News! Get the latest news 24/7 on The Black Information Network. Listen now on the iHeartRadio app or click HERE to tune in live.