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A28 u.s. news
Diamars 20 aPriL 2021

A look at high-profile cases over killings by us police

nesota police officer during a
2016 traffic stop after castile
informed the officer he was
armed. The shooting gained
widespread attention after
castile’s girlfriend, who was in
the car with her then-4-year-
old daughter, livestreamed its
gruesome aftermath on face-
book. Officer jeronimo yanez
testified that castile was pull-
ing his gun out of his pocket
despite commands to do so.
The officer was acquitted of
manslaughter at trial.
Justine ruszczyk damond
Justine ruszczyk damond,
an unarmed white dual citi-
zen of the u.s. And australia,
was fatally shot in july 2017
by minneapolis police of-
ficer mohamed noor when
she approached his squad car
in the alley behind her home
minutes after calling 911 to
report a possible rape. Noor
testified at trial that a loud
bang on the squad car startled
him and his partner and that
he fired to protect his part-
ner’s life. He was convicted
of third-degree murder and
second-degree manslaughter
and sentenced in 2019 to 12
1/2 years in prison.

(ap) — former minneap- grand jury declined to indict Van dyke was found guilty jury deadlocked over a ver- Jordan edwards
olis police officer derek officer daniel pantaleo in de- of second-degree murder in dict in slager's murder trial. Roy oliver, a white texas po-
chauvin i s charged with cember that year. The justice 2018 and sentenced to nearly The next year, slager pleaded lice officer, fired at a car full
murder and manslaughter department said in 2019 that seven years in prison. guilty in federal court to vio- of teenagers as it drove away
in george floyd's death af- it wouldn't file civil rights lating scott’s civil rights and from a large house party in
ter pressing his knee into charges after a yearslong in- Tamir rice as part of a plea deal, prose- april 2017, fatally shooting
floyd's neck as he cried vestigation. Tamir rice, 12, was fatally cutors dropped state murder 15-year-old jordan edwards,
out: “i can't breathe.” shot by a white cleveland po- charges. Slager was sentenced who was sitting in the front
Michael brown lice officer in november 2014 to 20 years in prison. He is passenger seat. Police initially
The defense argued that Michael brown, 18, was fa- after officers responded to a now appealing his punish- said the vehicle backed up to-
chauvin, a white 19-year vet- tally shot by a white officer, 911 call from a man drink- ment, saying his lawyer never ward officers “in an aggressive
eran, used reasonable force darren wilson, in august 2014 ing beer and waiting for a bus told him about a plea offer manner,” but later admitted
and that floyd died because in ferguson, missouri, touch- who said a “guy” was point- from prosecutors that could that bodycam video showed
of his illegal drug use and ing off weeks of sometimes- ing a gun at people. Tamir, have cut years off his sen- the vehicle was moving for-
underlying health problems. violent protests. A st. Louis who was black, had a pellet tence. ward as officers approached.
county grand jury declined gun tucked in his waistband Oliver was convicted of mur-
It has been rare to charge po- in november 2014 to indict and was shot after the offi- Freddie gray der in 2018 and sentenced to
lice with crimes in the death wilson in the unarmed black cers’ cruiser skidded to a stop Freddie gray, a 25-year-old 15 years in prison.
of civilians, and winning a teen's death, and the u.s. De- just feet away. A grand jury black man, died after he suf-
conviction is harder in part partment of justice later also in december 2015 declined fered a spinal injury while Breonna taylor
because juries are often re- declined to charge him. Wes- to indict patrolman timothy handcuffed and shackled in a Breonna taylor, a 26-year-old
luctant to second guess an ley bell, the current st. Louis loehmann, who fired the fa- baltimore police van, spark- louisville emergency medi-
officer’s split-second deci- county prosecuting attorney, tal shot, and training officer ing weeks of unrest across cal worker studying to be-
sions. But chauvin's knee conducted a five-month re- frank garmback. The u.s. Jus- the city. Three officers were come a nurse, was shot sev-
was on floyd's neck for 9 1/2 view of witness statements, tice department announced acquitted and prosecutors eral times in her hallway after
minutes, prosecutors say, as forensic reports and other last year that it would not dropped the remaining state three plainclothes narcotics
bystanders shouted at the of- evidence and announced in bring federal criminal charg- cases in july 2016. The u.s. detectives busted down the
ficer to get off floyd. july that he would not charge es, saying the quality of video Department of justice an- door of her apartment in the
wilson. of the shooting was too poor nounced in 2017 that it middle of the night in march
Here's a look at other high- for prosecutors to conclu- wouldn't bring federal charg- 2020. A grand jury brought
profile killings by police and Laquan mcdonald sively establish what had hap- es against the six officers in- no charges against officers in
the outcome of the case: Chicago police officer ja- pened. volved in the arrest, saying it her death, although one was
son van dyke shot 16 times did not find enough evidence indicted for shooting into a
Eric garner at laquan mcdonald, killing Walter scott to prove the officers willfully neighboring home that had
Eric garner, 43, died in july the black 17-year-old as he Michael slager, a white south violated gray's civil rights. people inside. Prosecutors
2014 in new york city after a walked away from officers carolina police officer, shot said two officers who fired at
white officer placed him in a in october 2014. Van dyke walter scott in the back as the Philando castile taylor were justified in using
chokehold when garner re- was charged with first-degree unarmed 50-year-old black Philando castile, a 32-year- force to protect themselves
fused to be handcuffed for al- murder the same day the city man fled following a 2015 old elementary school caf- after they faced gunfire from
legedly selling loose, untaxed released the shocking dash- traffic stop. In 2016, a mis- eteria worker, was shot five her boyfriend.
cigarettes. A staten island cam video of the shooting. trial was declared after the times by a st. Anthony, min-