Family of 12-year-old passenger killed in chase wants deputies, trooper charged

PAULDING COUNTY, Ga. — The family of a 12-year-old killed in a police chase is demanding accountability.

More than a dozen people showed up for a rally outside the Paulding County Courthouse on Friday.

“We want those officers charged with the murder of Le’Den Boykins,” family attorney Zenobia Waters said. “We don’t have accountability. They have not been held to account. The departments are not being transparent.”

Last September, a trooper with the Georgia State Patrol pulled over Charlie Moore for speeding on Bethel Church Road around 1 a.m.

A trooper called Paulding County deputies for help when Moore refused to roll his windows down, GSP said.

The Paulding County Sheriff’s Office said Moore failed to listen to commands and a deputy used a baton to break the window.

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Investigators said Moore sped away. The trooper chased him to Highway 92 and used a PIT maneuver to stop the driver. Boykins and a 14-year-old were passengers.

Boykins was Moore’s neighbor. His parents were out of town, and he was being cared for by his grandmother.

The family said the grandmother gave Boykins permission to be with Moore to clean parking lots.

“This driver could’ve stopped, he could’ve followed lawful commands by the trooper and the deputies and this young man would be alive today. It’s heartbreaking,” said Paulding County Sgt. Ashley Henson. “This was 1000 percent preventable. One thousand percent.

“Police officers and law enforcement all across the country are held accountable every day, but we’ve got to hold suspects accountable, too,” Henson said.

Moore is charged with 32 crimes including murder.

“We want everyone involved held accountable. I’m not a side taker, I’m not choosing sides. I want everyone involved held responsible for their actions,” said Anthony Boykins, the victim’s father. “When they decided they were going to do that PIT maneuver, they knew they were going to endanger somebody’s life, and they knew there were children in the vehicle.”

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