Tuesday (August 28th,) former officer Roy Oliver was found guilty of the murder of unarmed black teen Jordan Edwards, killed while leaving a party in a Dallas-area suburb in Texas last year.
Now, after 12 hours of deliberation, the same jury has sentenced the officer to 15 years in prison in addition to a fine of $10,000. Initially prosecutors, headed by Dallas County District Attorney Faith Johnson, sought a sentence of at least 60 years while the defense argues for 20 years.
While she wishes the sentence were longer Johnson tells CNN that she respect the jury’s decision, noting the rarity of a guilty verdict for an office in police shooting cases.
Jordan Edwards’ mother, Charmaine Edwards said that she would have preferred her son’s killer go behind bars for a much longer term.
"He actually can see life again after 15 years," she said. "And that's not enough because Jordan can't see life again."
According to the publication, the guilty verdict sparked a wave of gasps and sobs in the courtroom given how scarce a moment it is.
"We don't want another parent to have to go through what this family has had to deal with," Jordan's family attorney, Daryl Washington, said. "This case is not just about Jordan. It's about Tamir Rice. It's about Walter Scott. It's about Alton Sterling. It's about every African-American ... who have been killed and who have not gotten justice."
