A Texas jury sentenced a former police officer to 15 years in prison Wednesday night for the shooting death of an unarmed African-American teen in a Dallas suburb.
The jury deliberated for 12 hours before deciding the fate of former Balch Springs officer Roy Oliver. In addition to the prison term, it imposed a fine of $10,000.
Oliver was convicted of murder Tuesday by the same jury for the killing of high school freshman Jordan Edwards, 15. He fired into a car full of teens on April 29 last year, saying he believed it was moving aggressively toward his partner.
Dallas County District Attorney Faith Johnson described Oliver as a “killer in blue” who violated his oath to protect citizens. Prosecutors sought a sentence of at least 60 years while the defense argued for 20 years or less.
Johnson said she wished Oliver’s sentence was much longer, but she respected the jury’s decision and realizes a guilty verdict for an officer is rare in police shootings.
Charmaine Edwards said she’d have preferred a sentence of 25 to 30 years for her son’s killer.
“He actually can see life again after 15 years,” she said. “And that’s not enough because Jordan can’t see life again.”
