White officer guilty of manslaughter of unarmed black man
Source: Associated Press
White officer guilty of manslaughter of unarmed black man
Ben Finley, Associated Press
Updated 4:16 pm, Thursday, August 4, 2016
PORTSMOUTH, Va. (AP) — A jury convicted a white former police officer of voluntary manslaughter on Thursday in the shooting death of an unarmed black man who had been accused of shoplifting.
Stephen Rankin, who was fired from the Portsmouth police force after being indicted, now faces one to 10 years in prison. The sentencing phase of his trial began immediately.
Rankin, 36, shot William Chapman in the face and chest outside a Wal-Mart store last year after a security guard accused the 18-year-old of shoplifting. No video recorded the actual killing, and testimony conflicted on the details.
Prosecutors said Chapman had his hands up and the officer could have used non-deadly force. But the defense said Rankin had to shoot after trying to stun the young man, because Chapman became enraged and knocked the officer's stun gun to the ground.
Read more: http://www.chron.com/news/crime/article/White-officer-guilty-of-manslaughter-in-black-9123092.php
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Fired officer guilty of shoplifting suspect's manslaughter
Ben Finley, Associated Press
Updated 4:47 pm, Thursday, August 4, 2016
PORTSMOUTH, Va. (AP) — A jury convicted a white former police officer of voluntary manslaughter on Thursday in the shooting death of an unarmed black man who had been accused of shoplifting.
Stephen Rankin shot William Chapman in the face and chest outside a Wal-Mart store last year after a security guard called police to go after the 18-year-old.
No video recorded the actual killing, and testimony conflicted on the details. But most witnesses said Chapman had his hands up, and prosecutor Stephanie Morales said the officer could have used non-deadly force.
The officer "brought a gun into what is at worst a fist fight," Morales told the jury, which deliberated for nearly two days before returning its verdict.
More:
http://www.chron.com/news/crime/article/White-officer-guilty-of-manslaughter-in-black-9123092.php
