Judge Dismisses Charges Mid-Trial Against Cops Accused of Killing Black Man

[dutch508]

Star Member Nevilledog (24,670 posts)

The Daily Beast

A Mississippi state judge on Thursday dismissed second-degree murder charges against two former police officers accused of fatally beating a Black man during a violent 2019 arrest

In a rare judicial move, a Mississippi state judge said prosecutors did not have enough evidence to prove its case against two former cops accused of beating a Black man in 2019.

Original story here
https://www.clarionledger.com/story/news/local/2021/05/20/jackson-police-murder-trial-judge-dismisses-charges-george-robinson-death/5180094001/

Hinds County Judge Faye Peterson on Thursday morning dismissed all charges against two police officers on trial for second-degree murder in the death of George Robinson, a Black man from Jackson.

Peterson said the state failed to present evidence that Desmond Barney and Lincoln Lampley acted criminally in the detainment of Robinson, 62, on Jan. 13, 2019.

“There was nothing on its face that was illegal,” Peterson said. “The detention of a suspect is not a criminal act and there was no proof presented that they were conspiring."

The judge also considered the lesser charge of manslaughter, but the facts in the case did not meet that legal requirement, she said. She dropped all charges with prejudice, meaning the two officers cannot be tried again.

*snip*

 

Star Member Me. (31,816 posts)

1. "the two officers cannot be tried again"

can they be tried in Fed court?

Good luck. You still need to have the legal requirements of a crime.

Star Member StarfishSaver (15,442 posts)

11. Yes, they can

They've begun an investigation.

Interestingly, the investigation was begun under the last administration. How bad does a police killing have to be if the Trump/Barr DOJ stepped in?

Star Member marble falls (39,657 posts)

12. People who've gotten away murder in local courts got long sentences for violating civil rights of their victims. I think Bobby Kennedy came up with this after racists got away with murder during the civil rights activities down south.

sop (4,764 posts)

7. When it comes to police crimes it's now "video or it didn't happen" in our justice system.

malthaussen (14,230 posts)

9. No, yer honner, it was the "beat him to death" part that was criminal. n/t

Again... you go to have proof that fits the legalities of a crime to be charged with a crime.

 

[SVPete]

DUpipo obviously did not read the local paper article linked in the OP, https://www.clarionledger.com/story/news/local/2021/05/20/jackson-police-murder-trial-judge-dismisses-charges-george-robinson-death/5180094001/ . The dead guy, who is black, resisted arrest. The three officers who attempted to arrest him are black. The judge who dismissed the charges is black.

One of two things happened with the dismissal. Either the defense requested a summary judgment - a common motion, but seldom granted - or the judge exercised her own authority and dismissed the case without the defense moving for dismissal. Either way, "rare" is an accurate description. That she dismissed it because there was no crime and the officers acted within their authority foreshadows disappointment in DUpipo's hoped-for double-jeopardy case.

[ADsOutburst]

Star Member StarfishSaver (15,442 posts)

11. Yes, they can

They've begun an investigation.

Interestingly, the investigation was begun under the last administration. How bad does a police killing have to be if the Trump/Barr DOJ stepped in?

How weak does the prosecution's case have to be if the judge dismisses the charges outright?

[SVPete]

How weak does the prosecution's case have to be if the judge dismisses the charges outright?

Somewhere between non-existent and I-Like-Pie.