Two Ohio campus police officers won't face charges: prosecutor

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[August 01, 2015]  By Steve Bittenbender
 
 (Reuters) - Two University of Cincinnati police officers who were interviewed about the death of an unarmed black motorist at the hands of a fellow officer will not face charges, a prosecutor said on Friday.

Raymond Tensing, 25, a former University of Cincinnati police officer, has been charged with murder in the shooting death of Samuel DuBose, 43, whom he stopped for a missing license plate. Tensing, who has pleaded not guilty, was released from jail on bond on Thursday.

The two other University of Cincinnati officers, Phillip Kidd and David Lindenschmidt, were placed on administrative leave on Thursday. They testified in front of a Hamilton County grand jury, which decided not to press charges.

Hamilton County Prosecutor Joseph Deters said he agreed with the decision, and that the officers were cooperative and consistent in their statements.

"When the officers were specifically asked about what they saw and heard, their statements matched Tensing's body camera video," Deters said.

The university has hired Kroll Inc, a risk management firm, to conduct an internal review of the shooting. Kidd and Lindenschmidt will remain on leave until the investigation is complete, said University of Cincinnati police spokeswoman Michele Ralston.

The union representing the university's police force filed a grievance on Friday on behalf of Tensing demanding that he get his job back, saying the school fired him without just cause. Cathy Brockman of the Fraternal Order of Police Ohio Labor Council also said the union contract calls for a predisciplinary hearing.

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The Hamilton County coroner's office on Friday released preliminary autopsy findings for DuBose, which found that he died from a single gunshot wound to his left temple. No bullet was recovered.

(Reporting by Mary Wisniewski in Chicago and Steve Bittenbender in Louisville, Ky.; Editing by Sandra Maler and Eric Beech)

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