A judge declared a mistrial Friday after a jury deadlocked in the case of a former University of Cincinnati police officer who shot and killed an unarmed black man during a 2015 traffic stop, the latest in a series of high-profile law enforcement shootings that spurred charges but not convictions.
The mistrial was the third time in a week that jurors weighing a fatal shooting by a police officer did not convict the officer involved, following acquittals in other cases. It was also the second time a jury has deadlocked considering this particular shooting.
Judge Leslie E. Ghiz, speaking from the bench, read from a note sent by the jurors who said they were “almost evenly split regarding our votes toward a final verdict” and unable to reach a unanimous decision.
The outcome came just days after officers were acquitted of deadly shootings in Minnesota and Wisconsin, and it concluded the second trial of Raymond Tensing, who was charged with murder after fatally shooting Samuel DuBose during a routine traffic stop in July 2015.
While Ghiz declared a mistrial, Tensing — seated at the defense table in front of her — initially stared straight ahead without responding, and then put his head down, rubbing his eyes with his left hand.
DuBose’s mother, Audrey, released a statement saying his family was “outraged that a second jury has now failed to convict Ray Tensing for the murder of our beloved Sam DuBose.” She also called for a third trial in the case.
A jury deadlocked in Tensing’s first trial in November, and Hamilton County prosecutor Joseph T. Deters quickly vowed to retry him, saying he hoped that another jury would “be able to reach a decision to bring justice in this case for the victim’s family and our community.”