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Former Texas officer who fatally shot unarmed woman found not guilty
Source: The Guardian
Former Texas officer who fatally shot unarmed woman found not guilty
Tom Dart in Houston
Thursday 7 April 2016 23.49 BST
A former Texas police deputy on trial for killing an unarmed woman without warning immediately after she opened the front door of a friend’s house was found not guilty on Thursday.
Daniel Willis was cleared of murder by visiting district judge Albert McCaig during a retrial 30 miles east of Austin.
Yvette Smith was seemingly trying to act as a peacemaker during a dispute between two men that involved a gun. She called 911 about half an hour after midnight on 16 February 2014. When Bastrop County police arrived at the house, at least one of the men was in the front yard and the worst of the disturbance appeared over.
Willis, who is white, saw Smith, a black 47-year-old former caretaker, and ordered her to come outside. As she opened the door he shouted “police!” then fired within about three seconds. She died in the hospital after being shot twice by the deputy, who was using his personal AR-15 semi-automatic rifle.
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In a lengthy statement before his ruling, the judge described Smith as a victim who was “a good person, a kind person and a gentle person trying to do the right thing” and apportioned part of the blame to the two men for fighting.
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Tom Dart in Houston
Thursday 7 April 2016 23.49 BST
A former Texas police deputy on trial for killing an unarmed woman without warning immediately after she opened the front door of a friend’s house was found not guilty on Thursday.
Daniel Willis was cleared of murder by visiting district judge Albert McCaig during a retrial 30 miles east of Austin.
Yvette Smith was seemingly trying to act as a peacemaker during a dispute between two men that involved a gun. She called 911 about half an hour after midnight on 16 February 2014. When Bastrop County police arrived at the house, at least one of the men was in the front yard and the worst of the disturbance appeared over.
Willis, who is white, saw Smith, a black 47-year-old former caretaker, and ordered her to come outside. As she opened the door he shouted “police!” then fired within about three seconds. She died in the hospital after being shot twice by the deputy, who was using his personal AR-15 semi-automatic rifle.
[font size=1]-snip-[/font]
In a lengthy statement before his ruling, the judge described Smith as a victim who was “a good person, a kind person and a gentle person trying to do the right thing” and apportioned part of the blame to the two men for fighting.
[font size=1]-snip-[/font]
Read more: http://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2016/apr/07/fdaniel-willis-not-guilty-fatal-police-shooting-yvette-smith-texas
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