'My child needs to be here': 6 years later, justice still sought in Cal Poly Humboldt student's death

Saturday marked the 6th year since Cal Poly Humboldt trainee David Josiah Lawson was fatally stabbed. His household and liked ones consulted with Humboldt County District Attorney Stacey Eads on Friday, who assured to invest the next 3 months evaluating the case.

Lawson's household wants Eads to pursue murder charges against Kyle Zoellner, a McKinleyville man who was at first charged with fatally stabbing Lawson at a party in Arcata in the morning hours of April 15, 2017, but a judge decided there wasn't adequate compelling evidence for the case to call for a trial. Michelle-Charmaine Lawson, Lawson's mother, said the prosecution of Zoellner need to come faster.

" She'll have a response for us, most likely in about 3 months, but I do not think you require three months to fix this case (that) is already fixed. She just needs to prosecute Kyle Zoellner," Michelle-Charmaine Lawson stated.

Lawson stated the accumulated proof in the case, which includes Zoellner's bloody clothing, and his DNA under Lawson's fingernails and on the knife used to kill Lawson, would lead to a conviction. She argued the case was mishandled at the preliminary hearing and in front of a grand jury, leading to its dismissal.

In Zoellner's civil case accusing the Arcata Police Department of arresting him without probable cause, disparaging him and denying him medical attention, a judge ruled that previous Arcata Police Department Detective Eric Losey had excellent reason to suspect that Zoellner killed Lawson. The ruling threw away the $776,300 in damages a jury was going to award Zoellner, as they decided that Losey had actually breached Zoellner's rights. Zoellner likewise affirmed in the civil trial in October 2022.

"( Zoellner) testified back in October for a day and a half, so they can use his testimony against him where he said he didn't keep in mind, he doesn't keep in mind, however if you don't keep in mind how did all this blood get on your clothing?" Michelle-Charmaine Lawson said.

After consulting with Eads, Lawson's mother said that her child would remain in prison right now if he had actually fatally stabbed Zoellner, a white male. She included that previous District Attorney Maggie Fleming had actually failed her, wanting Eads would follow a different path.

Lawson was accompanied by good friends, household and allies on the actions of the courthouse in Eureka on Friday afternoon. Two members of the Black Lives Matter chapter in Los Angeles existed to support Michelle-Charmaine Lawson.

" This case has ramifications here in Humboldt County, and throughout the whole nation, as we see the relentless theft of Black life, the disposability of Black life," Tabitha Jones Jolivet, a Black Lives Matter organizer, stated. "We definitely expect that Kyle Zoellner will be prosecuted and charged by this DA in due time."

David Josiah Lawson (Times-Standard file image).
Lawson's death resounded throughout the neighborhoods he lived in and beyond. On Saturday, a 5k run memorializing him and requiring justice was kept in Arcata, extending from City Hall to the marsh at 10 a.m.

California Assemblymember Reggie Jones-Sawyer introduced a two-year costs in the state assembly called the Justice for Josiah Lawson Act, or AB 644. The bill would need California colleges to provide a survey and track to students about hate criminal activities beyond the scope of the Clery Act.

" I am pissed since my kid ought to be here," Michelle-Charmaine Lawson stated. "I ought to not need to do this. My kid needs to be here with us, and he's not here.".