Ray Tensing is the University of Cincinnati police officer who shot and killed Samuel DuBose during what started out as a routine traffic stop. The body cam footage of the shooting went viral, showing Tensing murdering DuBose, the scared victim who tried to flee from an overly aggressive officer, during the stop. Instead of calling it in like he should have, Tensing pulled out his firearm and shot DuBose in the head at point blank range. The video was as shocking as it was appalling. His trial ended this week, following a judge declaring a mistrial over a deadlocked jury.
The trial fell in Hamilton County, Ohio. Tensing was charged almost immediately after the shooting – the act was blatant and undeniable. According to Tensing, DuBose dragged him with his car before he fired the fatal shots, yet the body cam video disproved his statements. The jury, which was comprised of ten white and two black jurors, simply couldn’t decide what crime Tensing had committed. The jurors were unable to agree on whether Tensing committed a murder or an act of manslaughter. Most of the jurors voted for a conviction on the lesser manslaughter charge, while others held out, claiming that Tensing’s act was outright murder. The failure to come to a conclusion resulted in the worst possible scenario. The case was dismissed as a result of the mistrial. Prosecutors have several weeks to refile, or this murderer will walk free.
The man in charge of the case is prosecutor Joe Deters. Based on the decisions made by the members of the jury, that Tensing had committed a crime, combined with the level of public outrage over the case, it is likely that he will refile. Opting to present only the lesser charge of manslaughter will most likely gain a conviction, as Tensing’s innocence never seemed to be a factor for the jury on either side. Tensing’s motives also came into question, shortly after it became apparent at trial that Tensing wore a confederate flag shirt under his uniform. Despite this, Tensing claims that he is not a racist and that race was not a factor in the shooting.
An activist group, Countdown to Conviction Coalition, was upset with the outcome and stated that the facts surrounding the case did not “add up to a hung jury.”
“We know that the so-called system itself is biased. It is a racist institution, proven to have scales that tip away from the people of color,” their press statement read.
The family of Samuel DuBose met with prosecutor Deters, voicing that the case should go before another jury, so that they can finally settle the matter. According to the family attorney, Al Gerhardstein, “While the news isn’t good, and this is not a good day for our criminal justice system, they are not alone.”
The failure to determine what crime was committed is a signature problem in police shooting trials, one that we’re sure to see over and over again.
Source: The Guardian.
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