Stop calling people bitches. Start a revolution!
A Bronx judge threw out the manslaughter indictment against NYPD police officer Richard Haste, who fatally shot 18-year-old Ramarley Graham last year, over an error in court proceedings, according to ABC News.
In the days before his decision, Supreme Court Justice Steven L. Barrett reportedly went on record to say that he was considering throwing out the indictment because prosecutors may have acted improperly by advising jurors that they did not have to consider what other police officers told Haste before the fatal shooting.
And on Wednesday morning, Judge Barrett followed through with his decision.
According to Barrett’s line of thinking, the grand jury that decided to indict Haste in Graham’s death, may have come to a different decision if they fully considered that his peers reportedly informed him that Graham was armed.
Graham was shot and killed in his bathroom by Officer Haste on February 2, 2012, after he was pursued by Haste and his narcotics unit.
Haste and his fellow officers were reportedly monitoring a local bodega for drug activity, when they allegedly spotted Graham in a drug deal.
Police claim that Graham gave chase once he saw police officers and then refused to put his hands up when commanded to, causing Haste to pull the trigger and end the teen’s life. Graham was allegedly attempting to flush the small purchase of marijuana down the toilet.
But what can be clearly seen on a surveillance tape tells a different story.
If Graham was indeed running from a drug deal gone bad, why is he seen on video calmly entering his home? And while officers are seen running up to the residence and immediately kicking the door down, why did they refuse to follow protocol and announce themselves and then enter Graham’s residence WITHOUT a search warrant?
Another major issue is the shooting of an UNARMED teen. Police contend that they told Haste the teen was armed, supposedly justifying Haste’s extreme use of force. Will anyone be held accountable for this call and why is it when it comes to our Black males, police officers can never seem to ascertain whether they are armed? #JusticeForRamarleyGraham
