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2nd LD Writethru: Cleveland white officer found not guilty in 2012 killing of unarmed black pair

Xinhua, May 24, 2015 Adjust font size:

A white police officer in the U. S. state of Ohio was found not guilty on Saturday of voluntary manslaughter in the killing of an unarmed black man and a woman after a car chase in November 2012.

After a month-long trial, a judge found Cleveland Officer Michael Brelo, 31, not guilty of two counts of felony voluntary manslaughter in the deaths of Timothy Russell, 43, and Malissa Williams, 30.

"The state did not prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the defendant Michael Brelo knowingly caused the deaths of Timothy Russell and Malissa Williams," announced Cuyahoga County judge John O'Donnell.

Judge O'Donnell also ruled that Brelo was not guilty of two other lesser counts of felonious assault.

Brelo was one of the 13 officers who fired up to 137 shots at the two suspects after a car chase on Nov. 29, 2012. No officers except Brelo was charged in the incident.

The car chase began after Russell's 1979 Chevy Malibu backfired while driving past local police headquarters. Mistaking the sound for gun shot from the car, up to 62 police patrol cars took part in the car chase, after which 13 officers fired at the pair's car.

According to prosecutors, the reason why only Brelo was charged criminally was the fact that he waited till the car had stopped and the passengers were no longer considered a threat to fire 15 shots into the windshield while standing on the hood of the car.

Defense attorney previously claimed that Brelo was fearful for his safety, a notion obviously shared by the judge.

"Brelo reasonably perceived a threat," said the judge.

Shortly after the announcement of Brelo's acquittal, the U.S. Justice Department announced it would review Brelo's case.

"We will now review the testimony and evidence presented in the state trial. We will continue our assessment, review all available legal options and will collaboratively determine what, if any, additional steps are available and appropriate given the requirements and limitations of the applicable laws in the federal judicial system," the federal agency said in a statement. Endite