SAVANNAH, Ga. — A Georgia sheriff’s deputy will not be charged for fatally shooting Leonard Cure, a Black man who had been exonerated after spending 16 years in prison, during a violent traffic stop in October 2023. The decision, announced by District Attorney Keith Higgins on Tuesday, has reignited debates over police use of force and accountability.
Fatal Encounter on Interstate 95
The confrontation unfolded on Oct. 16, 2023, when Camden County Deputy Staff Sgt. Buck Aldridge stopped Cure for speeding near the Florida-Georgia border. Dash and body-camera footage released by authorities shows that what began as a routine stop escalated quickly.
Cure, 53, complied initially but refused to put his hands behind his back when ordered to do so. Aldridge deployed his stun gun, and Cure responded by resisting and placing a hand near the deputy’s throat. Moments later, Aldridge fired his weapon at point-blank range, killing Cure on the scene.
Higgins justified the deputy’s use of deadly force, stating that Aldridge was being overpowered. “Use of deadly force at that point was objectively reasonable given that he was being overpowered at that time,” Higgins said in a phone interview with The Associated Press.
Cure’s Long Road to Freedom Ends in Tragedy
Cure’s story was one of resilience. In 2020, Florida authorities exonerated him after he had served 16 years for an armed robbery he did not commit. His wrongful conviction had been overturned based on new evidence and prosecutorial misconduct.
After his release, Cure became a vocal advocate for criminal justice reform, using his story to push for changes in the legal system. He had recently been employed and was reconnecting with his family when his life was cut short in the traffic stop.
His family expressed devastation, with his mother, Mary Cure, saying, “He had his whole life ahead of him, and now he’s gone.”
Legal Justification or a Failure of Justice?
The decision not to charge Aldridge has drawn sharp criticism from civil rights advocates and Cure’s legal team, who argue that excessive force was used.
- Ben Crump, a prominent civil rights attorney representing Cure’s family, called the decision a “devastating failure of justice.”
- Co-counsel Harry Daniels questioned why Cure was treated with immediate aggression, stating, “Had Leonard been given the benefit of the doubt, he might still be alive.”
However, law enforcement officials maintain that the use of deadly force was warranted under Georgia law, which allows officers to respond with lethal force if they believe their lives are in danger.
Calls for Reform and Federal Review
Cure’s killing has sparked calls for an independent federal investigation. His attorneys plan to push the U.S. Department of Justice to review the case, arguing that local prosecutors failed to hold the deputy accountable.
Meanwhile, activists and community leaders in Georgia are renewing demands for reforms in policing practices, including de-escalation training and increased oversight of law enforcement agencies.
“This case underscores the urgent need for systemic change,” said Rev. Al Sharpton, who has been vocal about police violence. “Too many Black men are dying at the hands of those sworn to protect and serve.”
The debate over police accountability continues as Cure’s family prepares to file a civil lawsuit against the Camden County Sheriff’s Office, seeking justice in the courtroom even after the criminal case was closed.
