Virginia police officer found guilty of killing black teen
PORTSMOUTH, Va. (AP) — Prosecutors in Virginia have won a rare conviction of a white former police officer who shot and killed an unarmed black teen suspected of shoplifting.
The guilty verdict Thursday was for voluntary manslaughter, a lesser charge than the original first-degree murder count. And the jury recommended a 2 ½ year prison sentence for Stephen Rankin, a punishment far below the decade prosecutors had sought.
The outcome is typical of the rare conviction that follows a shooting by police, said Philip Stinson, a criminal justice professor at Bowling Green State University in Ohio.
Rankin’s formal sentencing is scheduled for Oct. 12. A judge cannot increase the jury’s recommended sentence, but he could reduce it.
Copyright 2016 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
More About:News
