Aggravated assault charges dismissed against the former officer found guilty in the murder of Jordan Edwards

A Texas judge on dismissed four aggravated assault charges against Roy Oliver, a former police officer serving a prison sentence for the murder of Jordan Edwards.

Melanie Eversley

Sep 11, 2018

Fired Balch Springs police officer Roy Oliver and his attorneys Miles Brissette (left) and Bob Gill (right) before the reading of the verdict on the ninth day of the trial of Oliver, who was charged with the murder of 15-year-old Jordan Edwards, at the Frank Crowley Courts Building in Dallas on Tuesday, Aug. 28, 2018. (Rose Baca - Pool/The Dallas Morning News)

A Texas judge on Tuesday dismissed four aggravated assault charges against a former police officer serving a prison sentence for the murder of Jordan Edwards, the Dallas Morning News is reporting.

Roy Oliver, a former officer with the Balch Springs, Texas, police department, was convicted last month of fatally shooting Edwards, 15, in the head as the teen sat with his two brothers and two friends in a car. Oliver is currently serving a 15-year sentence for Edwards’ murder.

Word of the latest development comes from the lead prosecutor in the case.

Two of the dismissed charges are related to an accusation that Oliver, 38, pointed his gun at two women after a car crash two weeks before Edwards’ death, the Dallas Morning News reported. The other two dismissed charges are connected to two other boys who were with Edwards in the car that night.

Dismissing the cases avoids the problem of having to try the aggravated assault case while Oliver appeals his murder conviction, Mike Snipes, Dallas County assistant district attorney, told the Morning News.

The cases were dismissed Monday without prejudice, which means they can be refiled, the Morning News reported. However, it is unclear on whether or not the parties involved will want to do so.

Oliver fired at the car full of Black teens as they left a house party. At his conviction, relatives sobbed and proclaimed “Thank you, Jesus!”

Edwards’ father, Odell Edwards, told reporters at the time, “I just want to say I’m happy, very happy,” and added that it had “been a long time” since he felt that way.

During the trial, Edwards told jurors that his son was always smiling and dreamed of playing football.

Oliver currently remains in a Dallas County Jail and will eventually be transferred to the Texas prison system.

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