A grand jury has indicted Officer Randall Kerrick of the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department on a charge of voluntary manslaughter in the September 14 shooting death of Jonathan Ferrell, according to a statement from state Attorney General Roy Cooper. The grand jury heard evidence from the state Bureau of Investigation and the police department. "With the strength of the evidence in this case, we're not surprised," Charles Monnett, an attorney for Ferrell's family, said about Monday's indictment. "We're all pleased and happy that the process is beginning now and that there's an end in sight," he said. "It is the first step towards justice."
@highlight
"I just feel like God's will will be done," victim's mother tells CNN
@highlight
Randall Kerrick's attorneys say resubmitting same charge to grand jury illegal
@highlight
Prosecutors have said first grand jury was not a full panel; defense contests that claim
@highlight
Officer fatally shot Jonathan Ferrell after woman called 911 to report home invasion
Randall Kerrick
Randall Kerrick
Thus, the prosecution's claim that it could go back to the grand jury because fewer than 18 members initially heard @placeholder's case was spurious, the motion said.
Roy Cooper
The motion further alleged that @placeholder's statement to the media -- that "This is not over" -- and his announcement that he would resubmit the case was a "wholly improper and blatant attempt to influence the (second) grand jury."
Jonathan Ferrell
Ferrell
Jonathan Ferrell
The woman told police @placeholder was "yelling for her to turn her alarm off" but never reported that Ferrell harmed her, made threatening statements, brandished a weapon or stole or vandalized her property, the lawsuit further alleges.
Jonathan Ferrell
Ferrell
Jonathan Ferrell
Police were dispatched, and @placeholder walked down the street to seek assistance elsewhere, according to the lawsuit.
Randall Kerrick
Randall Kerrick
@placeholder and two other officers arrived on the scene about 11 minutes after the 911 call, but Kerrick didn't speak with the woman, the lawsuit says.
Randall Kerrick
Randall Kerrick
Kerrick and two other officers arrived on the scene about 11 minutes after the 911 call, but @placeholder didn't speak with the woman, the lawsuit says.
Jonathan Ferrell
Ferrell
Jonathan Ferrell
He instead tracked down @placeholder, who "never engages in any conduct which can be objectively reasonably interpreted as aggravated active aggression," according to the lawsuit.