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In this April 9, 2015 photo, Cleveland police Officer Michael Brelo listens to testimony during his trial in Cleveland. A judge has reached a verdict in the trial of Brelo charged with voluntary manslaughter in the shooting deaths of two unarmed people in a 137-shot barrage of police gunfire.(Photo: Tony Dejak)
A Cleveland police officer was acquitted Saturday of charges of voluntary manslaughter in the shooting deaths of two unarmed people in a 137-shot barrage following a high-speed car chase.
Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Judge John P. O'Donnell ruled that Michael Brelo, 31, a white officer, acted within his constitutional rights in the November 2012 deaths of Timothy Russell and Malissa Williams, two black motorists.
The judge, after reading a 34-page summary of the case, said he found that "Brelo's entire use of deadly force was a constitutionally reasonable response to an objectively reasonably perceived threat of great bodily harm from the occupants of the a Malibu, Russell and Wiliams."
Brelo, his lips quivering, appeared near tears, as the judge delivered the verdict. He then embraced his attorneys and left the courtroom.
WKYC
More than 104 officers were involved but only one stood trial for their deaths
Before delivering his verdict. O'Donnell noted the recent unrest in Ferguson, Missouri, and Baltimore over the deaths of black suspects by police officers, but said he would not "sacrifice" Brelo to an angry public if the evidence did not merit a conviction.
"Guilty or not guilty, the verdict should be no cause for a civilized society to celebrate or riot," he said.
Within hours of the verdict, the U.S. Department of Justice issued a statement saying that it will "review the testimony and evidence" present in the trial and consider possible legal options.
Almost immediately after the decision was handed down, an angry cluster of around 30 protesters gathered verdict outside the courthouse, shouting "no justice — no peace" and holding signs in front of sheriff's deputies bearing clear shields.
The plaza in front of the building was cordoned off. One man stood with his head bowed and hands folded, praying in silence.
Mayor Frank Jackson said city's response to the case "is a defining moment for Cleveland."
He warned that "while we encourage peaceful protest, I want to make sure that those who are here who have a different agenda understand that actions that cross the line — either by police officers or citizens — cannot and will not be tolerated."
He also said that the disciplining process involving 14 officers who also involved in the car chase or shooting will resume. He noted that the police department has already taken actions ranging from termination to demotion to suspension without pay. Brelo continues on suspension without leave.
Timothy McGinty, Cuyahoga County prosecutor, told reporters in a brief news conference that the case had been "challenging": but that he would "not hesitate to do it again, if the facts and law demanded."
He said the case had already caused a "culture change" in the Cleveland police department in terms of less secrecy and more accountability.
McGinty, however, declined to take oral questions from reporters that he said sought to "enflame" the situation, but said he would respond to questions sent in by reporters by email.
Patrick D'Angelo, Brelo's attorney, told reporters after the verdict that his team was "humbled by the verdict but not emboldened by it."
"Officer Brelo risked his life on that night," D'Angelo said, only to be attacked by "ruthless" prosecutors in a case he called a "blood fight."
"I've never in my 37 years witnessed such a vicious and unprofessional prosecution of a police officer," D'Angelo said.
The American Civil Liberties Union of Ohio called for "meaningful, systemic reforms" in the police department in the aftermath of the verdict, WKYC-TV reports.
FULL TEXT | Michael Brelo Verdict
"Unfortunately, troubled police-community relations has plagued Cleveland for decades as a result of the excessive use of force by law enforcement, particularly against people of color," said Christine Link, executive director of the ACLU.
"With the pending implementation of the U.S. Department of Justice's consent decree, we urge the city of Cleveland to diligently work to create a police department that its citizens can trust. This will only happen if its officers are properly trained and supervised to keep everyone safe."
Alfredo Williams, Malissa's brother, told CNN that his family is "hurting" after the verdict was handed down. "I am tried of black folks dying," he said. "Enough is enough."
He blamed the city of Cleveland for the acquittal, telling CNN that if the case had been tried in any other city in the country "that police officer would be in jail — we know it, they know it."
In the 2012 incident, the chase began after Russell's beat-up Chevy Malibu backfired as it sped past police headquarters, which caused officers to think someone in the car had fired a gun.
Thirteen officers fired at the pair's car after the chase, though only Brelo was charged criminally. Prosecutors said he waited until the car had stopped and the occupants were no longer a threat to fire 15 rounds down into the windshield while standing on its hood.
Prosecutors argued Russell and Williams were alive until Brelo's final salvo. Brelo's attorneys argued that other officers fired during the final barrage and that prosecutors couldn't prove in what order the fatal shots were fired.
Russell, 43, and Williams, 30, were each shot more than 20 times.
The shooting helped prompt a months-long investigation by the U.S. Department of Justice, which concluded last December that the Cleveland police department had engaged in a pattern and practice of using excessive force and violating people's civil rights.
The city and DOJ are currently negotiating a reform-minded consent decree that a federal judge will approve and independent monitors will oversee.
Contributing: Associated Press
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