DALLAS (AP) — The Latest on a white former police officer charged in the shooting death of a black teenager in Texas (all times local):…
DALLAS (AP) — The Latest on a white former police officer charged in the shooting death of a black teenager in Texas (all times local):
3:20 p.m.
Gasps echoed across the courtroom as a Texas jury found a white former police officer guilty of murder for fatally shooting an unarmed black teenager.
Roy Oliver was convicted Tuesday in Dallas County. He killed 15-year-old Jordan Edwards last year when he fired his gun into a car full of black teenagers leaving a house party in the Dallas suburb of Balch Springs.
After the verdict was read, Edwards’ relatives sobbed, hugged prosecutors and exclaimed, «Thank you, Jesus!»
An attorney for Edwards’ family, Daryl Washington, said: «This was a long-fought battle.»
The former Balch Springs officer was acquitted on two lesser charges of aggravated assault and assault with a deadly weapon. Jurors deliberated over two days before reaching the verdict.
The trial now moved into the sentencing phase.
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2:20 p.m.
A white former Texas police officer has been found guilty of murder for fatally shooting an unarmed black teenager as he left a house party in a car full of teenagers.
Jurors convicted Roy Oliver on Tuesday in a Dallas County courtroom.
Oliver was fired from the Balch Springs Police Department days after the April 2017 shooting. Oliver killed 15-year-old Jordan Edwards when he fired into a moving car carrying five black teenagers leaving a local house party.
Edwards was in the front passenger seat.
Oliver testified 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.
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10:25 a.m.
A jury has started its second day of deliberations in the trial of a white former Texas police officer charged with fatally shooting an unarmed black teenager leaving a house party.
Roy Oliver was fired from the Balch Springs Police Department days after he shot into a moving car filled with five black teens, killing 15-year-old Jordan Edwards in April 2017.
A Dallas County jury deliberated for eight hours Monday and resumed their work Tuesday.
Oliver testified last week that he decided to fire at the car when he saw it moving toward his partner. But his partner told jurors he didn’t fear for his life.
Oliver is being tried on murder and aggravated assault charges. Prosecutors say the jury could also find him guilty of manslaughter.
