Another day, another instance in which justice is not served for the murder of an unarmed African-American by the police.
Chicago Police Officer Dante Servin was found not guilty after he shot and killed 22 year-old Rekia Boyd back in 2012,according to ABC 7 News Chicago. In March of that year, Boyd was walking to a store with three of her friends near Douglas Park. Servin, who was off-duty at the time, was allegedly upset over the noise the group was making. After a brief squabble, he fired five shots over his shoulder while still sitting in his car. Boyd was shot in the head.
Still, the judged ruled that there was no evidence of reckless conduct to charge him with involuntary slaughter. Servin was found not guilty in all charges.
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“Simply put, the evidence presented in this case does not support the charges on which the defendant was indicted and tried. There being no evidence of recklessness as a matter of law, there is no evidence to which the state could sustain its burden of proof as to the fourth element of the charge of involuntary manslaughter,” Judge Dennis Porter said.”Therefore, there is a finding of not guilty on all counts and the defendant is discharged.”
After the verdict, the courtroom reportedly erupted in anger and disbelief.
“I am Rekia Boyd’s mom. They just found this man not guilty on all counts, and he blew my daughter’s brains out in the alley,” professed Angela Helton.
While the judge thought holding Servin accountable for his actions was not necessary, Cook County State’s attorney Anita Alvarez had other sentiments.
“I am extremely disappointed by the Judge’s ruling. The State’s Attorney’s Office brought charges in this case in good faith and only after a very careful legal analysis of the evidence as well as the specific circumstances of this crime,” she said in a statement released on Monday (Apr. 20). – Richy Rosario