Washington, D.C. – The National Bar Association (“NBA”) commends the quick action of Hamilton County Prosecutor, Joe Deters, in seeking a Murder Indictment of University of Cincinnati Police Officer, Ray Tensing, for the Murder of Samuel DuBose.
Deters was able to rely upon the body camera footage from a routine traffic stop of Dubose which ultimately led to his murder. In a statement, Deters stated, “It is an absolute tragedy that one would behave in this manner. It was senseless. It’s just horrible.” DuBose was initially stopped for not displaying a front license plate. During the stop you hear Officer Tensing question whereabouts of Dubose’s license and DuBose indicating that he did not have it on him but saying that Tensing could run his name. Tensing made no effort to run DuBose’s name and shortly after the discussion, Tensing attempts to open the vehicle door. After what appears to be DuBose trying to close the vehicle door, Tensing shoots Dubose in the head killing him. There was no struggle or indication of any threat prior to the shooting.
“This case exemplifies why police body cameras are necessary in every law enforcement agency in this country,” says NBA President Benjamin L. Crump. “Had there not been a camera recording this incident, we can only imagine how the sequence of events would have been laid out by Tensing to suggest that he had to kill DuBose to protect his own life and there may not have been an indictment,” Crump continues.
In response to the large number of killings of unarmed black men throughout the country, the NBA has strenuously fought for federal legislation requiring the use of body cameras by all law enforcement agencies. When officers are held accountable for wrongdoing with evidence that can be captured by body cameras, only then can we hope that simple traffic stops will stop resulting in the killing of unarmed citizens at the hands of law enforcement officers.
