Edition: U.S. / Global

METRO NEWS BRIEFS: NEW JERSEY; Sharpton Demands Tape Of Fatal Police Shooting

Published: June 6, 1999

The Rev. Al Sharpton demanded yesterday that the New Jersey authorities release police videotape showing how police officers ended up firing 27 bullets at an unarmed driver.

The shooting death of the driver, Stanton Crew, on the roadside of Interstate 80 in Parsippany on Wednesday proves ''that they can shoot down you and me,'' Mr. Sharpton told hundreds of supporters at a rally in Harlem.

Accompanied by the victim's mother, sister and brother, Mr. Sharpton collected donations to help pay for Mr. Crew's funeral, which is scheduled for tomorrow.

Morris County prosecutors said on Thursday that a grand jury would decide whether to charge four police officers in Mr. Crew's death. The authorities said Mr. Crew was giving a friend a ride home from a tavern when a Dover police officer tried to pull him over for driving erratically. Instead of stopping, they said, Mr. Crew sped off and led police officers and state troopers on a 15-minute chase.

The pursuit ended on Interstate 80 when four of the shots fired by the officers and troopers struck Mr. Crew. Investigators said he had rammed the police vehicles, placing the officers in fear for their lives.

At the Harlem rally on Saturday, Mr. Crew's sister, Ingrid, said her brother ''was a person who didn't have to die.'' Ms. Crew said law enforcement officials must make split-second decisions, ''but why is the decision always to kill? Black life is so expendable.''

Mr. Sharpton disagreed with the authorities' contention that race played no part in the decision to shoot. ''They said there was no racial motivation. How do they know that without an investigation? Did they have the legal right to shoot this man?'' he asked. ''Enough is enough is enough.''