Roy Oliver, a former Balch Springs police officer who shot and killed 15-year-old Jordan Edwards in Texas, has learned his verdict. On Tuesday, Aug. 28, a Dallas County jury announced that they have found Oliver guilty of murder following more than 10 hours of deliberation.
Oliver was found not guilty on charges of aggravated assault and manslaughter.
“This innocent kid was not doing anything wrong, nothing. He deserved the opportunity to go to college,” prosecutor Mike Snipes said. “He deserved the opportunity to make Odell Edwards a grandfather, and you took that away from him. You murdered him.”
Edwards was killed when he was in a car full of teens leaving a party in April of 2017. Oliver fired a rifle at the car and a bullet struck and killed the 15-year-old.
From the Dallas Morning News:
While talking to the party’s host inside the house, gunshots rang out. The shots were later discovered to have been fired from a nearby nursing home.
The officers ran from the house — Oliver to get his patrol rifle — and toward the nursing home. Within 54 seconds, Jordan was dead.
Gross was trying to stop the Chevrolet Impala that Jordan, his brothers and friends were in when Oliver fired into the car. Oliver said he thought the car was going to hit his partner.
Oliver’s defense claimed that the decision to shoot at the vehicle came out of fear for his partner’s safety. However, video that was reviewed by Balch Springs Police Chief Jonathan Haber, shows that the vehicle was driving away from the police.
Edwards was in the vehicle with his two brothers and two friends.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0dCH3lvgdVI
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