Former Texas Officer Convicted Of Murder For Shooting Unarmed Black Teen

The former Texas officer responsible for the murder Jordan Edwards, an unarmed Black teen, was found guilty in court on Tuesday.

On April 2017, Edwards, his friends and his two brothers were driving from a house party when Balch Springs, Texas officer #RoyOliver “discharged multiple rounds from his patrol rifle” into their vehicle. One of the bullets fatally struck Oliver in the head. 

Soon after the shooting police chief Jonathan Haber fired Oliver after Haber admitted he “misspoke” when he said the car Jordan was in was moving “aggressively” toward police which led to an officer firing his rifle into the car. Body cam footage that was later released showed the car driving forward and not reversing into the police car.

The Dallas County, Texas, jury convicted Oliver of murder but found him not guilty of two lesser charges in the honor student’s death, according to CNN. Oliver’s sentencing followed right after his verdict. This case adds to the long list of innocent killings of Black men done by white cops. Oliver now faces life in prison.