In the Whitman Park neighborhood of Camden, New Jersey, the afternoon of June 17, 2022, turned tragic for 37-year-old Charles Copling III, a Black male resident of the city. Around noon, the sound of gunfire pierced the air on the 1200 block of Decatur Street, prompting a ShotSpotter activation that drew Camden County police to the scene. There, they discovered Copling lying on the ground, suffering from a gunshot wound. He was rushed to Cooper University Hospital, but his injuries proved to be fatal, and he succumbed to them later that day.
The investigation into Copling's death led authorities to 38-year-old Derrick Miller, another Camden resident. About a month after the shooting, Miller was charged with first-degree murder and gun offenses. According to the Camden County Prosecutor's Office, the fatal encounter occurred during an altercation in an alley off Decatur Street.
Evidence presented during the subsequent trial painted a complex picture of the events that transpired. Two shell casings of different calibers were recovered from the scene, suggesting that more than one firearm was involved.
The legal proceedings against Derrick Miller concluded in February 2024, nearly two years after Charles Copling III's death. Miller's defense team argued that the prosecution had not met the burden of proof to show that Miller had fired the fatal shot with the intent to kill. Surveillance footage from the area showed that more than two individuals had entered the alley around the time of the shooting. Further complicating the case was a recorded jailhouse phone call in which Miller claimed that Copling had shot him first. After deliberating for over two days, the jury returned a not-guilty verdict, and Derrick Miller was released from custody.
