CINCINNATI, Nov. 22 (UPI) — Former campus police officer Ray Tensing will be retried for the murder of Sam DuBose, and prosecutors are seeking a change of venue, it was announced this week.
The jury failed to reach a unanimous verdict on Nov. 12 in the trial of former University of Cincinnati police officer Ray Tensing, 27, charged with murder and involuntary manslaughter for shooting Sam DuBose, an unarmed black man, in 2015 after he re-started his car during a traffic stop.
Judge Megan Shanahan declared a mistrial after 25 hours of jury deliberation. Tensing, who is white, had said his arm was stuck in the car as DuBose, 43, began to drive off, dragging him, but an expert witness who examined the bodycam footage disputed this account.
The incident is one of several high-profile cases involving police interaction with minorities.
Hamilton County Prosecutor Joe Deters announced the new trial Tuesday, adding he will request a change of venue, saying it will be difficult to find an impartial jury in the county, WEWS-TV, Cleveland, reported.
“It is our belief that the public attention that’s been focused on the Tensing case could have, in fact, seeped into the jury room,” said Deters. “We had a revolt in the jury room. The jurors were afraid people would learn their names.”
A motion for a change of venue requires a judge’s approval. When asked where he would like to see the new trial, Deters said, “Columbus or Cleveland would be fine with me.”
