Ex-Cop Jason Stockley Found Not Guilty Of Murdering Black Man In 2011
Earlier today, ex-police officer Jason Stockley was found not guilty of the first-degree murder of 24 year old Anthony Lamar Smith, a black man shot and killed following a high-speed chase back in 2011. Stockley, who formerly worked for the St. Louis police department, was on trial after shooting Lamar Smith five times, killing him in the process. While he claimed that he saw Smith pull out a gun, prosecutors stated that Stockley actually planted the gun after the fact.
According to the Chicago Tribune, Stockley originally requested to be tried by a judge, rather than a jury of his peers. During the trial, Assistant Circuit Attorney Robert Steele cited police dashcam footage which showed Stockley saying ""going to kill this ____, don't you know it." Apparently, the murder occurred less than a minute later. Stockley's lawyer defended his client's statement, chalking it up to typical "human emotion" during a high pressure situation.
According to the Chicago Tribune, Stockley originally requested to be tried by a judge, rather than a jury of his peers. During the trial, Assistant Circuit Attorney Robert Steele cited police dashcam footage which showed Stockley saying ""going to kill this ____, don't you know it." Apparently, the murder occurred less than a minute later. Stockley's lawyer defended his client's statement, chalking it up to typical "human emotion" during a high pressure situation.
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