'I'm mad as hell': Anger as cop acquitted over fatal shooting

Jeronimo Yanez, 29, is found not guilty of three charges including second-degree manslaughter after he fatally shot 32-year-old African American man Philando Castile in July 2016.

Philando Castile, 32, was shot dead during a traffic stop in July 2016.

Philando Castile, 32, was shot dead during a traffic stop in July 2016. Source: AP

A jury in Minnesota on Friday acquitted the police officer who fatally shot 32-year-old African American Philando Castile, whose dying moments were captured on Facebook video in a case that shocked the nation.

Jeronimo Yanez, 29, was found not guilty on three charges: second-degree manslaughter, and two felony counts of intentional discharge of a dangerous weapon for endangering the safety of Castile's girlfriend Diamond Reynolds and her four-year-old daughter. 

Both were in the car when the officer shot Castile during a traffic stop.



The aftermath of the shooting on July 6 last year was captured on video recorded by Reynolds and broadcast on Facebook Live. In it, Castile can be seen bleeding to death in the driver's seat.

The video sparked protests across the United States and further exposed tensions between US police and African Americans.

Castile's family reacted with anger outside the courthouse, and several groups planned demonstrations after the verdict.  

"I'm mad as hell right now. Yes, I am," Castile's mother Valerie told a gathering of reporters.
St. Anthony police officer Jeronimo Yanez has been acquitted over the shooting death of Philando Castile.
St. Anthony police officer Jeronimo Yanez has been acquitted over the shooting death of Philando Castile. Source: Star Tribune
"The system continues to fail black people."

The jury in the case spent approximately 30 hours deliberating, and asked the judge to re-examine the Facebook video and the video from the police car dashboard camera, along with Yanez's testimony on the stand.  

US prosecutors have found it difficult to make criminal charges stick in police shooting cases.

All six Baltimore officers charged over the 2015 death of Freddie Gray due to spinal cord injuries suffered in the back of a police van were eventually cleared.


Share
2 min read

Published

Updated

Source: AFP


Share this with family and friends


Get SBS News daily and direct to your Inbox

Sign up now for the latest news from Australia and around the world direct to your inbox.

By subscribing, you agree to SBS’s terms of service and privacy policy including receiving email updates from SBS.

Download our apps
SBS News
SBS Audio
SBS On Demand

Listen to our podcasts
An overview of the day's top stories from SBS News
Interviews and feature reports from SBS News
Your daily ten minute finance and business news wrap with SBS Finance Editor Ricardo Gonçalves.
A daily five minute news wrap for English learners and people with disability
Get the latest with our News podcasts on your favourite podcast apps.

Watch on SBS
SBS World News

SBS World News

Take a global view with Australia's most comprehensive world news service
Watch the latest news videos from Australia and across the world