Ray Tensing faces charges over the shooting death of Samuel DuBose. Photo / AP
Ray Tensing faces charges over the shooting death of Samuel DuBose. Photo / AP
A white United States police officer who shot a black motorist after stopping him over a missing licence plate pleaded not guilty yesterday to charges of murder and voluntary manslaughter.
The July 19 death of 43-year-old Samuel DuBose in Cincinnati, Ohio, comes amid months of national scrutiny of police dealings with African-Americans, especially those killed by law enforcement officers.
Officer Ray Tensing, 25, appeared at his arraignment yesterday wearing a striped jail suit, with his hands cuffed behind him.
When Judge Megan Shanahan set bond at US$1 million ($1.5 million), people in the courtroom audience cheered and the judge rebuked them. The judge rejected the defence attorney's contention that Tensing wasn't a flight risk.
43-year-old Samuel DuBose, shot and killed by Ray Tensing. Photo / AP.
Tensing later posted 10 per cent of that amount and was released, the Hamilton County Court clerk's website said.
Tensing's indictment for killing DuBose was unusual. Police officers are rarely charged for fatally shooting people while on duty. More than 550 people have been shot and killed by officers this year, according to a Washington Post database, and Tensing is the fourth officer to face charges.
Three of these officers were charged for shooting people during or after traffic stops, which can be tense encounters for police and drivers alike. They are the most common reason for interactions between police and civilians, according to Justice Department data.
On the night of July 19, Tensing pulled DuBose over for a missing front licence plate. Video footage shows the officer asking repeatedly for a driver's licence before trying to open the car door.
Seconds later, the engine rumbled to life and Tensing's gun appeared. DuBose, who was unarmed, was shot once in the head and pronounced dead at the scene.
Over the course of this year, interactions related to traffic stops have accounted for about 10 per cent of the instances in which people were fatally shot by police, according to an analysis of data compiled by the Washington Post.
Terina Allen, sister of Samuel DuBose, sits with family members in the court yesterday. Photo / AP.
Most of those fatally shot by police this year have been armed with a gun or knife or had another object believed to be a weapon, such as a toy gun. But among those shot and killed by police after a traffic stop, a far smaller proportion had a weapon than those fatally shot in other circumstances.
Police officers are often accused of targeting motorists based on whether they are driving in high crime areas or fit a particular description.
The popular saying "driving while black" is backed by federal statistics that show black motorists are more likely to be pulled over than white and Hispanic motorists.
Data analysed by the Washington Post also show that unarmed black and Hispanic motorists are disproportionately represented among those killed by police during traffic stops.
