(The Guardian) A Minnesota police officer was acquitted of manslaughter on Friday in the shooting death of Philando Castile, a black motorist whose girlfriend streamed the aftermath live on Facebook. Outside the courthouse, Castile’s mother said the officer got away with “murder”. Jeronimo Yanez, who is Latino, was also cleared of two lesser charges arising from the July 2016 traffic stop in a St Paul suburb. Jurors deliberated for about 29 hours over five days.
Castile was shot just seconds after informing Yanez that he was carrying a gun. Yanez testified that Castile was pulling his gun out of his pocket despite commands not to do so. The defense also argued Castile was high on marijuana and said that affected his actions. Castile had a permit for the weapon, and prosecutors questioned whether Yanez ever saw it. They argued that the officer overreacted and that Castile was not a threat.
The shooting was one of a string of killings of African Americans by police around the US, and the livestreaming of its aftermath by Castile’s girlfriend, Diamond Reynolds, attracted even more attention. Public outcry included protests in Minnesota that shut down highways and surrounded the governor’s mansion.
Castile’s family claimed he was profiled because of his race, and the shooting renewed concerns about how police officers interact with minorities. Minnesota governor Mark Dayton also weighed in, saying he did not think the shooting would have happened if Castile had been white.
On Friday, members of Castile’s family reacted angrily. His mother, Valerie Castile, stood and swore. His sister and others sobbed loudly. Family members tried to leave the courtroom, and did so after security officers briefly barred their way. Outside the courthouse, Valerie Castile said Yanez got away with “murder”. “I will continue to say murder,” she said. “I am so very, very, very disappointed in the system here in the state of Minnesota. Nowhere in the world do you die from being honest and telling the truth.”
Philando Castile’s sister, Allysza, said through tears: “He didn’t deserve to die the way he did. I will never have faith in the system.”
Yanez stared ahead with no reaction as the verdict was read. Afterwards, one of his attorneys, Tom Kelly, said the defense was “confident in our client. We felt all along his conduct was justified. However that doesn’t take away from the tragedy of the event.” Prosecutors declined to comment.
Yanez was charged with second-degree manslaughter, punishable by up to 10 years in prison. He also faced two lesser counts of endangering Castile’s girlfriend and her then-four-year-old daughter for firing his gun into the car near them.