In a rare verdict, Roy Oliver, a white former Texan cop was sentenced to 15 years in prison after being convicted of murder for killing an unarmed 15-year-old boy. The teen, Jordan Edwards was entering a car after leaving a house party in suburban Dallas.
Though Edwards' family praised the prosecuters for the sentence, they were hoping a more severe sentence of 60 years. Oliver who fired at the car Edwards was entering was also fined $10,000.
The Dallas-based group Mothers Against Police Brutality too, expressed dissatisfaction with the sentence.
The Balch Springs Police Department confirmed the incident after watching it on body cam video. Moreover, autopsy reports showed that Edwards wasn’t under the influence when Oliver shot him, nor were the other teens who were at the party. Oliver was dismissed after these findings.
Oliver's defense team says that he would eligible for parole after seven-and-a-half years and have already begun the process of appealing. They added that they were concerned about his safety in prison and that authorities will take extra precautions to protect him.
One of the lawyers representing the Edwards' family, Lee Merritt, said that at the time of the indictment last year, it had been more than 40 years since a police officer in Texas was convicted. The last conviction reportedly took place in 1973.
Daryl Washington, an attorney for Edwards' father, said though it could have been longer, the sentence still sends a message.
Oliver said that he and his partner responded to reports of underage drinking at the partyand that he fired into the car as he feared that the vehicle was moving towards him and his partner, endangering them.
Linda, Oliver's mother appealed to the jury for a five-year sentence saying he is a good man and her grandson needed his father's support and guidance. And while Oliver's wife testified that she was concerned about their 3-year-old autistic son, his half sister said she hoped he "gets what he deserves." Oliver's partner told jurors he didn't believe his life was ever in danger.
The jury, also acquitted Oliver on two lesser charges of aggravated assault stemming from the shooting.
Only six non-federal police officers have been convicted of murder committed while on duty as per data compiled by criminologist and Bowling Green State University professor Phil Stinson.
The jury's decision is not just about Jordan Edwards, but all other black men and women who have been killed and not received justice, said Washington, the attorney for the teen's father.