Grand jury clears Mississippi cop in chase shooting death


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TUPELO, Miss. (AP) — A Mississippi grand jury has cleared a police officer in the death of a man killed at the end of a June 11 chase — during which the man made a live video saying he'd killed a cab driver.

District Attorney John Weddle says Officer Jason Whitenton shot 27-year-old Lyndarious Cortez Witherspoon after Witherspoon pointed a semi-automatic pistol at him.

Weddle told Mississippi news outlets that Witherspoon also shot himself in the head.

Witherspoon was accused of killing his pregnant girlfriend earlier that day.

Whitenton was one of two Tupelo police officers whom the Lee County grand jury declined to charge Monday.

The other was Officer Tyler Cook.

Cook killed Antwun "Ronnie" Shumpert following a traffic stop on June 18.

The Shumpert family's lawyer has called for a federal investigation.

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