Former Alabama Cop Aaron Cody Smith Released Early After Killing Greg Gunn.The Equal Justice Initiative reported that Alabama released Aaron Cody Smith, a former police officer convicted of manslaughter in Greg Gunn’s 2016 shooting death. Gunn, a Black man, was shot and killed by white Montgomery Police Department officer Smith.
Gunn’s family and friends are devastated by Smith’s early release. Smith pleaded guilty on February 21 after negotiating with Attorney General Steve Marshall. Marshall, who took over the case lately, said, “Despite my personal misgivings about the strength of the case against Mr. Smith, my office successfully defended the conviction in accordance with our statutory duty.”
“The state undid justice today. More terrible days of Black lives being ignored.” William Boyd
Gunn’s families’ Montgomery County District Attorney Daryl Bailey characterized Smith’s early release “a privilege not afforded to most convicted killers.”
He was shot seven times on his neighbor’s front porch on November 25, 2016, killing Greg Gunn, 58. Officer Aaron Cody Smith, 23, frisked Gunn while patrolling the neighborhood. Smith admitting to attacking Gunn with a baton and Taser before shooting him dead.
Smith failed to activate his body and car dashboard police cameras, therefore there was no video evidence that Gunn picked up a paint roller off the porch.
Greg Gunn, who lived with his elderly mother near the shooting, died of organ ruptures and fractures.
A Dale County jury sentenced Smith to 14 years for manslaughter in 2019. In 2022, the Alabama Supreme Court rejected Smith’s appeal of his conviction. After years of litigation, Attorney General Marshall granted Smith’s early release petition to conclude the case.
The release of Aaron Cody Smith has sparked racial justice and police accountability arguments in Alabama and abroad. Many believe Smith’s early release was a miscarriage of justice and a failure to hold police accountable.
The Gunn family and their supporters feel injustice and a lack of accountability in the criminal justice system as Aaron Cody Smith is released early. Montgomery County District Attorney Daryl Bailey voiced disappointment, comparing Smith’s early release to convicted murders.
After a police officer killed unarmed Black man Greg Gunn on November 25, 2016, his family and community will never forget it. Gunn’s tragic shooting as he returned home from a poker game sparked outrage and demands for justice.
Aaron Cody Smith’s admission to using excessive force against Gunn, which killed him, highlights systematic racial bias and police violence in the US. Despite convictions and imprisonment, injustice leaves profound scars that may never heal.
Smith’s early release has spurred calls for police reform and responsibility to avert future deaths. It highlights the continuous fight for racial justice in the American court system.
The Gunn family seeks comfort and closure after this tragedy, but they remain committed to significant change. Their continuous effort gives hope for a more just and equal world.
Following Aaron Cody Smith’s early release, Alabama and other communities stand with the Gunn family, reiterating their commitment to fighting systematic racism and protecting the dignity and rights of all people.
