The family and supporters of Rekia Boyd are outraged after the decision to acquit officer Dante Servin came in yesterday.
The judge found Servin not guilty of involuntary manslaughter in the shooting death of Boyd. in 2012, Boyd was walking with a group of friends to the store when Servin asked the group to quiet down. According to Servin, someone from the group approached him and he thought they were armed. The off-duty officer shot over his shoulder five times, killing Boyd and injuring her boyfriend.
The most incredulous part of the story isn’t the acquittal itself, but rather the judge’s ruling for his ruling. Judge Dennis Porter says the not guilty ruling is due to the fact that the shooting was “intentional,” and manslaughter requires evidence of “recklessness.” In other words, Servin was acquitted of these charges because he’s guilty of much more severe ones.
As expected, Servin was met with waves of protesters upon leaving the courthouse, and was taunted relentlessly.
In a press conference, Servin told reporters that he had no regrets over shooting Boyd but his heart goes out to the family.
Any police officer, especially, would have reacted in the exact same manner that I reacted, and I’m glad to be alive. I saved my life that night.
Right.
– Ballah-moni Kollie (@Gottadream87)
photo credit: blackamericaweb.com
