Police in North Carolina are making plans for multiple activities as they keep an eye on protests following the mistrial declared in the case of a white police officer accused in the shooting death of an unarmed black man.
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After four days of deliberations, the jury was deadlocked, 7-5 on an initial vote and 8-4 on the succeeding three votes.
However Kerrick’s attorneys stated the officer feared for his life when he shot and killed Ferrell whereas responding to a breaking-and-entering name.
Charlotte activist Robert Dawkins, who in 2012 founded Safe Coalition NC, to build public trust and accountability in North Carolina law enforcement, said he was disappointed by the trial’s ambivalent conclusion – but not surprised. The jury foreman stated they did not want anymore.
After the mistrial was declared, protesters took to the streets in Charlotte.
Protesters made their way through uptown Charlotte on Friday night in the wake of the mistrial in the trial of Charlotte-Mecklenburg police Officer Randall “Wes” Kerrick in the shooting death of Jonathan Ferrell.
Protests in Charlotte on Friday grew throughout the afternoon.
Charlotte-Mecklenburg police said the arrests were for assault on a police officer.
Putney praised officers for displaying “a great deal of restraint”. In this case the court would declare a mistrial and the case will remain open for further proceedings.
Legal expert James Wyatt said the personal opinions following the jurors into the deliberation room are also affect their decisions. Police blocked the street to traffic to allow the demonstration to proceed without seriously disrupting the evening rush-hour. We have a national debate going on.
He said the entire incident amounted to “a night of mistakes” on both sides, but he said the most egregious was that Kerrick didn’t do what he was supposed to do as a police officer.
“We’re not about violence”, said Jonathan’s younger brother Willie, standing beside his mother Georgia and Chestnut outside the courthouse. There was one report of a person seen on top of a police auto.
“That’s the kind of relationship and cooperation that the community has with this police department”, Hough said.
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“But I think when you have a situation like this, I can’t say there’s any win for anyone”, said Turowski. Hough said he encountered some young people who joined them but had no idea what it was about. Investigators say one officer deployed his Taser without apparent effect on Ferrell before Kerrick fired 12 shots, 10 of which hit him.
