Ohio jury deadlocks in racially charged
murder trial of ex-cop
Send a link to a friend
[November 12, 2016]
By Ginny McCabe
CINCINNATI (Reuters) - Jurors in the trial
of a white former University of Cincinnati police officer charged with
murdering a black man during a traffic stop told the judge their
deliberations had deadlocked on Friday but were ordered to redouble
efforts at reaching a unanimous verdict.
The 12 panelists were sent back to the jury room by judge Megan Shanahan
at around 12:30 p.m. EST (1730 GMT) after telling her they had failed,
since beginning deliberations on Wednesday, to agree on whether former
officer Ray Tensing was guilty or not guilty of murder or voluntary
manslaughter.
At around 6 p.m. EST jurors remained at an impasse and were dismissed by
Shanahan for the night. Jurors are scheduled to begin deliberations
again on Saturday morning.
The killing fueled demonstrations against use of lethal force by white
officers against unarmed blacks and other minorities, which has been the
focus of nationwide protests and a renewed national debate over racial
bias in the criminal justice system.
The jury consists of six white men, four white women and two black
women.
![](http://archives.lincolndailynews.com/2016/Nov/12/images/ads/current/topflight_west_sda_101414.png)
Tensing has pleaded not guilty and has remained free on $1 million bond.
If convicted, he could be sentenced to life in prison.
"You should listen to one another's opinions with the disposition to be
persuaded," Shanahan told jurors in the Hamilton County Court of Common
Pleas. "Do not hesitate to reexamine your views and change your position
if you are convinced it is erroneous."
Body-camera video of the July 2015 traffic stop showed Tensing, 26,
shooting Samuel DuBose, 43, in the head after pulling him over for a
missing front license plate on his vehicle. The entire incident lasted a
few minutes.
[to top of second column] |
![](../images/111216pics/news_f13.jpg)
University of Cincinnati police officer Ray Tensing (R) stands near
a car after driver Samuel Dubose was allegedly pulled over and shot
during a traffic stop in Cincinnati, Ohio July 19, 2015, in a still
image from body camera video released by the Hamilton County
Prosecutor's Office on July 29, 2015. REUTERS/Hamilton County
Prosecutor's Office/Handout via Reuters
![](../images/ads/current/richardson_lda_090916.png)
Tensing asked DuBose to take off his seatbelt and tried to open the
car door, but DuBose did not comply and closed the door. The vehicle
started rolling forward slowly as Tensing pulled his gun and fired
once.
During closing arguments in the case, the defense maintained that
Tensing feared for his life and fired in an attempt to protect
himself from being run over by DuBose car or pinned to a nearby
guard rail.
In emotional testimony on Tuesday, Tensing said he had no intention
of killing DuBose when he fired into the car.
The defense has countered by saying that Tensing has falsified his
account of events by exaggerating that he was being dragged by
DuBose's vehicle and was never in danger.
(Writing by Timothy Mclaughlin in Chicago; Editing by Steve Gorman
and James Dalgleish)
[© 2016 Thomson Reuters. All rights
reserved.]
Copyright 2016 Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may not be published,
broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
![](http://archives.lincolndailynews.com/2016/Nov/12/images/ads/current/atlanta_bank_sda_SHI_2016.png) |