A Mississippi mom could lose custody of her three children nearly a year after a police officer shot and wounded her 11-year-old son in their home.
In a new court filing obtained by NPR, Sunflower County, Miss., officials reference the May 2023 police shooting of 11-year-old Aderrien Murry and accuse his mother, Nakala Murry, of neglecting her three children — including Aderrien, — during the domestic incident.
Aderrien had called 911 for help. He was seriously injured after Sgt. Greg Capers of the Indianola, Miss., Police Department shot him in the chest.
The court filing argues that an unnamed witness saw Nakala Murry's ex-boyfriend, John Nolden, jump on her during the May 2023 incident in front of her three children.
The filing also indicated the unnamed witness said Aderrien Murry's shooting was a "result of the mother and boyfriend domestic violence that [has] been happening for years."
Nakala Murry spoke exclusively to NPR on Friday following the court-filed petition, saying that it "caught her off guard."
"As I read what [the petition] said, I was taken aback," Nakala Murry said. "I feel disgusted."
Carlos Moore, the attorney representing the Murry family, told NPR that the court-filed petition is "outlandish" and suggests the move by the court is retaliation for her ongoing lawsuit against the City of Indianola over her son's shooting.
"I believe they are just harassing her," Moore said. "She is a single mother and she does not deserve this pure harassment."
Gwendolyn Jimison, the Sunflower County prosecuting attorney who filed the petition, did not immediately respond to NPR's request for comment.
Nakala Murry is expected to report to the Sunflower County Youth Court on April 17, where she will defend her right for sole custody of her three children.
This latest move from the Sunflower County Youth Court comes months after a grand jury in Mississippi determined that there was no criminal conduct on behalf of Capers, who shot Aderrien.
Mississippi State Attorney General Lynn Fitch announced in December 2023 that her office would take no further action against Capers and no charges would be filed against him.
"As such, no further criminal action will be taken by this Office in this matter," Fitch said at the time.
On May 20, 2023, Nakala Murry said she told 11-year-old Aderrien Murry to call the police after the father of one of her other children, later identified as John Nolden, came to their home in the early morning in an "irate" mood.
After arriving at the Murry family home, police instructed everyone inside to come out with their hands up. Nakala Murry says that's when Aderrien emerged from around a corner, running toward the door. Capers then opened fire.
Aderrien Murry suffered a collapsed lung, fractured rib and lacerated liver.
The Murry family filed a $5 million federal lawsuit in May 2023, which argues that the police officers who responded to the domestic disturbance call acted in a way that was "so outrageous that it shocks the moral and legal conscience of the community."
Moore said the lawsuit filed against the City of Indianola and its police department continues to go forward, as he and the Murry family await key orders from the judge assigned to the case.
Copyright 2024 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org. 9(MDAzMjM2NDYzMDEyMzc1Njk5NjAxNzY3OQ001))
