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Talking Points CASES IN WHICH POLICE OFFICERS WERE CHARGED IN SHOOTINGS | The Associated Press A white former Dallas police officer was found guilty of murder Tuesday for fatally shooting her unarmed, black neighbor after mistaking his apartment for her own. Here's a look at that and other high-profile cases in recent years in which officers were charged in the fatal shootings of black people: AMBER GUYGER Guyger was indicted in November for the September 2018 killing of 26-year-old Botham Jean. Authorities say Guyger told investigators that while returning home from work, she mistook Jean's door for her own and that she shot him inside his home when he didn't obey her commands. In Texas, the sentence for murder is from five to 99 years in prison. JASON VAN DYKE A jury convicted Officer Jason Van Dyke of second-degree murder in the 2014 fatal shooting of Laquan McDonald. The white Chicago police officer shot the black teenager 16 times. The release of police dashcam video 13 months after the shoot- ing sparked large protests and led to the ouster of Chicago's top police official. Three other officers were acquitted of trying to cover up the shooting. ROBERT BATES Bates, a white Tulsa County volunteer sheriff's deputy, was sentenced in 2016 to four years in prison for second-degree man- slaughter in the 2015 death of Eric Harris, 44, who was unarmed and restrained. Bates served less than half the sentence. JAMES BURNS Burns, a white Atlanta police officer was charged with felony murder and other counts in the June 2016 death of Deravis Caine Rogers, 22. Prosecutors say Burns was responding to a suspicious person call when he fired shots into a car driven by Rogers, killing him. In September 2018, a new indictment rein- stated felony murder charges against the former officer barely a month after Fulton County District Attorney Paul Howard dropped the original indictment. The new indictment charged Burns with aggravated assault and violating his oath of office. DOMINIQUE HEAGGAN-BROWN Heaggan-Brown, a black Milwaukee police officer, was acquit- ted in June 2017 of first-degree reckless homicide after shooting 23-year-old Sylville Smith during a foot chase in August 2016. Heaggan-Brown was fired after unrelated sexual-assault allega- tions surfaced. PETER LIANG Liang, a rookie police officer in New York City, was convicted of manslaughter in 2016 for the 2014 death of 28-year-old Akai Gurley. Liang, an American of Chinese descent, said he was patrolling a public housing high-rise with his gun drawn when a sound startled him and he fired accidentally. A bullet ricocheted off a wall, hitting Gurley. A judge reduced the conviction to negligent homicide and sentenced Liang to five years' probation and 800 hours of community service. ROY OLIVER Oliver was convicted of murder in the 2017 death of 15-year- old Jordan Edwards and was sentenced to 15 years in prison. Oliver, a white police officer in the Dallas suburb of Balch Springs, fired into a car packed with black teenagers, killing Edwards. RYAN POWNALL Pownall is charged with third-degree murder for the 2017 death of 30-year-old David Jones, who was shot in the back as he fled. Pownall, who is white, was fired from the Philadelphia police force last year. He is awaiting trial. MICHAEL ROSFELD In March, Rosfeld was acquitted in the shooting death of 17-year-old Antwon Rose Jr. after the teen fled from a traffic stop on June 19 in Pennsylvania. BETTY SHELBY Shelby, who was a white police officer in Tulsa, Oklahoma, was acquit- ted of manslaughter after shooting 40-year-old Terence Crutcher in 2016. Crutcher, who was black, was unarmed. Shelby resigned from the Tulsa Police Department and later went to work for an area sheriff's office. MICHAEL SLAGER Slager pleaded guilty to federal civil rights charges after killing 50-year- old Walter Scott in 2015. The white North Charleston police officer fired at Scott's back from 17 feet (5 meters) away. Slager was sentenced to 20 years in prison in December 2017. His conviction was appealed and upheld. JASON STOCKLEY Stockley, a white St. Louis police officer, was acquitted of murder in 2017 in the 2011 shooting death of 24-year-old Anthony Lamar Smith. Stockley insisted he saw Smith holding a gun and felt that he was in imminent danger. Prosecutors accused Stockley of planting a gun in Smith's car. RAYMOND TENSING Tensing, a white University of Cincinnati police officer, was tried twice for murder after he killed Samuel DuBose, whom he pulled over for driving without a front license plate in 2015. DuBose, who was black, was unarmed. The jury was hung both times and the charges were dis- missed. Tensing received $350,000 from the university when he agreed to resign. JERONIMO YANEZ Yanez, a police officer in Falcon Heights, Minnesota, was charged with second-degree manslaughter after he fatally shot a 32-year-old black motorist, Philando Castile, in 2016. Yanez, who is Latino, was acquitted in June 2017. He has left the police department. ANDREW DELKE Delke, a white police officer in Nashville, Tennessee, was charged with criminal homicide in the death of 25-year-old Daniel Hambrick after surveillance footage appeared to show him chasing the black man and opening fire as he fled from the officer in July. Delke claims Hambrick pointed a gun at him, but prosecutors question that claim. A grand jury indicted Delke in January on a charge of first-degree murder. CASES IN WHICH POLICE OFFICERS WERE CHARGED IN SHOOTINGS A weekly section to spur conversation Talking Points Page 15 Daily Court Review Wednesday, October 2, 2019 Page 2 Daily Court Review Wednesday, October 2, 2019 Talking Points continued on next to last page DAILY COURT REVIEW Talking Points available at: Rice University 6100 Main Street Houston, Texas 77005 713-348-0000 South Texas College of Law 1303 San Jacinto Street Houston, Texas 77002 713-659-8040 Texas Southern Universtiy 3100 Cleburne Street Houston, Texas 77004 713-313-7011 University of Houston 4800 Calhoun Road Houston, Texas 77004 832-531-6300 University of Houston - Downtown One Main Street Houston, Texas 77002 713-221-8000 University of Houston Law Center 100 Law Center Houston, Texas 77204 713-743-2100 University of St. Thomas 3800 Montrose Boulevard Houston, TX 77006 713-522-7911 Talking Points Art Director: Zack Zwicky Submit original articles, images, and commentary for publication to: [email protected]

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Page 1: Page 2 Wednesday, October 2, 2019 Page 15 Daily CourtReview … · 2019. 10. 1. · In March, Rosfeld was acquitted in the shooting death of 17-year-old Antwon Rose Jr. after the

Ta l k i n g Po i n t s

CASES IN WHICH POLICE OFFICERS WERE CHARGED IN SHOOTINGS | The Associated Press

A white former Dallas police officer was found guilty of murder Tuesday for fatally shooting her unarmed, black neighbor after mistaking his apartment for her own. Here's a look at that and other high-profile cases in recent years in which officers were charged in the fatal shootings of black people:

AMBER GUYGERGuyger was indicted in November for the September 2018

killing of 26-year-old Botham Jean. Authorities say Guyger told investigators that while returning home from work, she mistook Jean's door for her own and that she shot him inside his home when he didn't obey her commands. In Texas, the sentence for murder is from five to 99 years in prison.

JASON VAN DYKEA jury convicted Officer Jason Van Dyke of second-degree

murder in the 2014 fatal shooting of Laquan McDonald. The white Chicago police officer shot the black teenager 16 times. The release of police dashcam video 13 months after the shoot-ing sparked large protests and led to the ouster of Chicago's top police official. Three other officers were acquitted of trying to cover up the shooting.

ROBERT BATESBates, a white Tulsa County volunteer sheriff's deputy, was

sentenced in 2016 to four years in prison for second-degree man-slaughter in the 2015 death of Eric Harris, 44, who was unarmed and restrained. Bates served less than half the sentence.

JAMES BURNSBurns, a white Atlanta police officer was charged with felony

murder and other counts in the June 2016 death of Deravis Caine Rogers, 22. Prosecutors say Burns was responding to a suspicious person call when he fired shots into a car driven by Rogers, killing him. In September 2018, a new indictment rein-stated felony murder charges against the former officer barely a month after Fulton County District Attorney Paul Howard dropped the original indictment. The new indictment charged Burns with aggravated assault and violating his oath of office.

DOMINIQUE HEAGGAN-BROWNHeaggan-Brown, a black Milwaukee police officer, was acquit-

ted in June 2017 of first-degree reckless homicide after shooting 23-year-old Sylville Smith during a foot chase in August 2016. Heaggan-Brown was fired after unrelated sexual-assault allega-tions surfaced.

PETER LIANGLiang, a rookie police officer in New York City, was convicted

of manslaughter in 2016 for the 2014 death of 28-year-old Akai

Gurley. Liang, an American of Chinese descent, said he was patrolling a public housing high-rise with his gun drawn when a sound startled him and he fired accidentally. A bullet ricocheted off a wall, hitting Gurley. A judge reduced the conviction to negligent homicide and sentenced Liang to five years' probation and 800 hours of community service.

ROY OLIVEROliver was convicted of murder in the 2017 death of 15-year-

old Jordan Edwards and was sentenced to 15 years in prison. Oliver, a white police officer in the Dallas suburb of Balch Springs, fired into a car packed with black teenagers, killing Edwards.

RYAN POWNALLPownall is charged with third-degree murder for the 2017

death of 30-year-old David Jones, who was shot in the back as he fled. Pownall, who is white, was fired from the Philadelphia police force last year. He is awaiting trial.

MICHAEL ROSFELDIn March, Rosfeld was acquitted in the shooting death of

17-year-old Antwon Rose Jr. after the teen fled from a traffic stop on June 19 in Pennsylvania.

BETTY SHELBYShelby, who was a white police officer in Tulsa, Oklahoma, was acquit-

ted of manslaughter after shooting 40-year-old Terence Crutcher in 2016. Crutcher, who was black, was unarmed. Shelby resigned from the Tulsa Police Department and later went to work for an area sheriff's office.

MICHAEL SLAGERSlager pleaded guilty to federal civil rights charges after killing 50-year-

old Walter Scott in 2015. The white North Charleston police officer fired at Scott's back from 17 feet (5 meters) away. Slager was sentenced to 20 years in prison in December 2017. His conviction was appealed and upheld.

JASON STOCKLEYStockley, a white St. Louis police officer, was acquitted of murder in

2017 in the 2011 shooting death of 24-year-old Anthony Lamar Smith. Stockley insisted he saw Smith holding a gun and felt that he was in imminent danger. Prosecutors accused Stockley of planting a gun in Smith's car.

RAYMOND TENSINGTensing, a white University of Cincinnati police officer, was tried

twice for murder after he killed Samuel DuBose, whom he pulled over for driving without a front license plate in 2015. DuBose, who was black, was unarmed. The jury was hung both times and the charges were dis-

missed. Tensing received $350,000 from the university when he agreed to resign.

JERONIMO YANEZYanez, a police officer in Falcon Heights, Minnesota, was charged

with second-degree manslaughter after he fatally shot a 32-year-old black motorist, Philando Castile, in 2016. Yanez, who is Latino, was acquitted in June 2017. He has left the police department.

ANDREW DELKEDelke, a white police officer in Nashville, Tennessee, was charged with

criminal homicide in the death of 25-year-old Daniel Hambrick after surveillance footage appeared to show him chasing the black man and opening fire as he fled from the officer in July. Delke claims Hambrick pointed a gun at him, but prosecutors question that claim. A grand jury indicted Delke in January on a charge of first-degree murder.

CASES IN WHICH POLICE OFFICERS WERE CHARGED IN SHOOTINGS

A weekly section to spur conversation

Ta l k i n g Po i n t s

Page 15Daily Court Review

Wednesday, October 2, 2019 Page 2Daily Court Review

Wednesday, October 2, 2019

Ta l k i n g Po i n t s continued on next to last page

DAILY COURT REVIEW Talking Points available at:

Rice University6100 Main StreetHouston, Texas 77005713-348-0000

South Texas College of Law1303 San Jacinto StreetHouston, Texas 77002713-659-8040

Texas Southern Universtiy3100 Cleburne Street Houston, Texas 77004713-313-7011

University of Houston4800 Calhoun RoadHouston, Texas 77004832-531-6300

University of Houston - DowntownOne Main StreetHouston, Texas 77002713-221-8000

University of Houston Law Center100 Law Center Houston, Texas 77204713-743-2100

University of St. Thomas3800 Montrose Boulevard Houston, TX 77006713-522-7911

Talking PointsArt Director: Zack Zwicky

Submit original articles, images, and commentary for publication to: [email protected]