A white cop is finally convicted for murdering an unarmed black teenager

[southernhybrid]

https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/jury-to-resume-deliberating-in-ex-officers-murder-trial/2018/08/27/38c79d3a-aa6b-11e8-9a7d-cd30504ff902_story.html?utm_term=.5bfd66acdf19

A white former Texas police officer was found guilty of murder on Tuesday for fatally shooting an unarmed black teenager last year as the boy left a house party in a car full of teenagers.

Roy Oliver was fired from the Balch Springs Police Department days after the April 2017 shooting. Oliver killed 15-year-old Jordan Edwards after the then-officer fired into a moving car carrying five black teenagers leaving a local house party. Edwards was in the front passenger seat.

Oliver testified during the Dallas County trial that he opened fire after seeing the car move toward his partner. He says he thought his partner was in danger. But his partner told jurors he didn’t fear for his life and never felt the need to fire his weapon.

I'm not sure if there have been other similar convictions, but this is the first time in recent history that I remember a white cop being convicted of murder in similar situations. This shooting was a lot more obviously unwarranted, but at least one law enforcement officer has been convicted of murdering an unarmed young black male. And, it was in Texas.

 

[Jimmy Higgins]

His partner testified against him, which is a pretty big deal. Ponder whether the shooter was a hated officer or whether this partner is going to have trouble working with anyone else in a PD.

 

[southernhybrid]

Yes. It is amazing that his partner told the truth, but he was under oath. Plus, I do believe there are some honest police officers left in the country. Still, it's been very rare if not unheard of for a jury to convict one of these police that murder young black males. So, maybe it's a start.

 

[RavenSky]

His partner testified against him, which is a pretty big deal.

a VERY big deal

Ponder whether the shooter was a hated officer or whether this partner is going to have trouble working with anyone else in a PD.

It sounds like this guy has been a problem for the department before:

Cop in Jordan Edwards Shooting Was Ordered to Anger Management for Past Behavior

But the officer’s employment records, obtained via FOIA request by NBC News, reveals past problems with anger.

According to an internal disciplinary report filed in 2013, Oliver “failed to comply” with the Balch Springs Code of Ethics during an interaction in court with several district attorneys when he began yelling with profane language while on the stand.

Oliver was “angry” because he had to attend court and began using “language that was so vulgar that the assistant DA had a young female intern leave the room,” according to the report.

At one point, an assistant DA in the courtroom with Oliver sent a text message to another DA in the courtroom advising the officer was “scaring them” with his behavior.

A later email from those prosecutors said Oliver was a “scary person to have in our workroom,” according to the report.

Oliver admitted to being “angry and aggressive” in court and there was “sufficient evidence” that the officer violated several internal policy rules.

He was suspended for sixteen hours and ordered to attend "anger management and training in courtroom demeanor and testimony,” according to the report.

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-new...rdered-anger-management-past-behavior-n754996

Add to that the fact he was quickly fired after the shooting, instead of suspended with pay, suggests to me that he was not at all liked.

I will be curious to see what sentence he gets, and what (if any) affect this will have on police officers nationwide.

 

[Derec]

I'm not sure if there have been other similar convictions, but this is the first time in recent history that I remember a white cop being convicted of murder in similar situations.

You article says

Oliver is the second ex-officer in Dallas County to be found guilty of murder this year in connection with a civilian’s death.

They do not say what the races of the officer and victim were though.

This shooting was a lot more obviously unwarranted, but at least one law enforcement officer has been convicted of murdering an unarmed young black male. And, it was in Texas.

Most shootings that have been discussed on here were warranted. The Jordan Edwards shooting was different. Although, it should have been manslaughter, not murder in my opinion.

 

[Derec]

I will be curious to see what sentence he gets, and what (if any) affect this will have on police officers nationwide.

I do not think it will have much of an effect. Every case is different, but in vast majority of cases where a police officer shot a suspect, it is with justification.

 

[Jimmy Higgins]

It isn't a slap on the wrist, with the sentence amounting to 15 years.