Convict Killer Cops: The Re-Trial of Ray Tensing

The retrial of former University of Cincinnati police officer Ray Tensing for the murder of Sam DuBose began Thursday.

Under grey skies, about fifty concerned citizens and members of local activist organizations gathered in front of the Hamilton County Court House to honor the memory of Sam DuBose. They demanded that Ray Tensing be tried, convicted, and imprisoned for his actions on the night of July 19, 2015 when he shot and killed Sam DuBose during an unnecessary traffic stop about a mile away from the University of Cincinnati’s campus.

In the history of Hamilton County, no law enforcement officer has ever been convicted of the crime of murder. Some members of the Countdown to Conviction Coalition, such as Black Lives Matter: Cincinnati, the Cincinnati chapter of the NAACP, and the Cincinnati Homeless Coalition, were present in front of the courthouse and were explicit in their calls for justice. Joe Mallory, VP of the Cincinnati NAACP, stated that police should only be allowed to use force only when there is an “absolute threat” from a suspect because police stating that “I feared for my life” has become a get out of jail free card. Aquashia of the Cincinnati Homeless Coalition said that she wanted “a conviction and jail time for Ray Tensing” and that she was tired of cops thinking that because they wear a badge, they can get away with anything.

Nicole Taylor, a member of the Cincinnati chapter of the NAACP, said it was important to protest Ray Tensing because “the injustice of it all.” She added “it’s a hurtful situation (to know that) your life can be taken in the blink of an eye” and brought up the fact that the extrajudicial killing of civilians by law enforcement officers is an “epidemic.” Her primary focus to change the system is to create term-limits for prosecutors. Another concerned citizen, Lynn, said “this is the tip of the iceberg across America with people being slaughtered by police” and that this is unnecessary “aggression by the police against innocents.”

Officer Tensing’s defense attorneys filed a motion to dismiss the case because they believe Hamilton County Prosecutor Joe Deters broke a gag order by discussing specifics of the murder, but Judge Leslie Ghiz denied the motion, stating that Deters’ media interview “could have been more egregious.” Jury selection is underway, and opening arguments are scheduled for Tuesday, May 30th.

(This article was originally published by the author for Black Lives Matter: Cincinnati)