Unjustly Accused: Black Man Fights Back After Road Rage Assault, Sues Over First-Degree Murder Charges

Despite numerous eyewitnesses affirming that Stephan Long acted in self-defense during a road rage incident where he fatally shot two white attackers, Denver prosecutors charged the Black man with first-degree murder. Following a four-month jail stint and ten months under house arrest, the charges were ultimately dropped due to “insufficient evidence." Recently, Long initiated a lawsuit against the two Denver police officers who arrested him, as well as the city and county, citing violations of his Fourth and Fourteenth Amendment rights and wrongful prosecution. The suit contends that had Long been white, he likely would not have faced charges. The road rage incident occurred on June 13, 2023, after Long, alongside his wife and children, was assaulted by Damon and Blake Lucas. The altercation escalated when Blake attacked Long through his car window. Despite clear evidence of self-defense, Long was wrongly charged. Long's emotional and physical ordeal highlights systemic biases in the legal system affecting African Americans.