Video Of Shoplifting Suspect's Death Prompts Call For New Investigation
(CBS) – Surveillance video of a suspected shoplifter being tackled outside a Chicago store before he died is sparking calls for a new criminal investigation.
CBS 2's Dana Kozlov reports.
The chilling security video shows the last minutes of Anthony Kyser's life. Chicago Congressman Bobby Rush says it changes everything, and he's calling for a special prosecutor to investigate.
"This shows, in my opinion, that Anthony Kyser was murdered in cold blood," Rush says.
In May 2010, Kyser was choked to death by a CVS employee who chased him into an alley after Kyser allegedly stole toothpaste and crayons from the Little Village store.
Despite Rush's calls for charges then, it was ruled an accident -- made in self-defense.
The suspect's mother, Marie Kyser, still hasn't seen the video, but she supports Rush's call for a special investigation. Both say the fact that three men held Kyser down while the employee choked him makes the "accidental" ruling seem implausible.
"I did not teach my babies to steal," Marie Kyser says. "But for him to take the law into his own hands, I don't think that was fair."
In a statement, a Chicago Police Department spokesperson says: "After a full investigation in 2010, which included review of video footage and eyewitness statements, it was determined the criminal charges were not appropriate."
Rush tells CBS 2 he will deliver his request to the state's chief justice tomorrow. The Cook County State's Attorney's office did not return calls for comment.
