Kenosha, Wisconsin, resident Jacob Blake was shot seven times in the back on August 23, 2020, in front of his children by Officer Rusten Sheskey of the Kenosha Police Department. The shooting, which left Blake paralyzed from the waist down, came amid mass protests across the US over the repeated deaths of Black Americans at the hands of police.
US prosecutors announced Tuesday that neither Sheskey nor any other law enforcement officials present during the shooting would be charged with a crime, and that no charges would be issued against Blake.
Michael Graveley, the Kenosha County district attorney, told reporters at a news conference that his decision to not file any charges was based on evidence not captured by the graphic cellphone recording of the August shooting. The official further noted that if the matter went to trial, Sheskey could successfully make a case for self-defense, as Blake had a knife in his possession at the time.
“Officer Sheskey felt he was about to be stabbed,” he continued, before noting that the incident itself was also a tragedy for the Blake family and the community as a whole. Graveley also indicated the decision was personally difficult, as he has never experienced a moment in which he has had to “contend with explicit or implicit bias based on my race.”
The Blake family was informed of the decision prior to the announcement, according to Graveley.
Ben Crump, the legal representative for the Blake family, issued a statement following the announcement and called the decision a disappointment.
Hints that charges would not be filed in the case emerged late Monday, when a state of emergency was declared in Kenosha and Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers authorized the deployment of the National Guard to ensure order and protect city infrastructure.
The Blake shooting unfolded three months after the officer-involved death of Minnesota man George Floyd, and was similarly captured on bystander video.
The footage, filmed by Raysean White, showed Blake walking to the driver’s side door of an SUV as officers followed closely behind with guns drawn and issued commands. It wasn’t until Blake opened the door and leaned into the vehicle that Sheskey grabbed onto Blake and discharged his firearm. Blake’s young children were seated in the car at the time of the shooting.
Days after the shooting, Kenosha was propelled into the national spotlight as widespread protests erupted, and the incident became a topic of discussion for both US President Donald Trump and US President-elect Joe Biden. While Biden suggested charges against Sheskey appeared warranted, Trump sided with police and preached law and order.
Since the events that unfolded in August, Blake has returned home after months of hospitalization and rehab. He is currently serving a two-year probation as part of a deal in which he pleaded guilty to two misdemeanor counts of disorderly conduct.
As recently as December, Sheskey was still on administrative leave from the Kenosha Police Department over the shooting, according to the New York Times. Incidentally, the officer has been the subject of at least five internal investigations over the seven years he’s been with the force, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported.
Sourse: sputniknews.com
