Hamilton County Prosecutor Joe Deters said on Tuesday he will re-try Ray Tensing, the former University of Cincinnati police officer, for the death of motorist Samuel DuBose. A mistrial was declared in the case last week; the jury had been leaning toward a conviction of voluntary manslaughter as opposed to murder. Deters says he will re-try Tensing on both counts.
“It’s my belief that Sam DuBose was murdered. Period,” Deters said. [...]
Tensing testified in his trial that he feared for his life when DuBose tried to drive away.
Deters repeated Tuesday that the shooting wasn’t justified, and that no one should be shot in the head for a traffic stop — DuBose was pulled over near the university campus for a missing front license plate.
“It troubles me deeply that this happened,” Deters said. [...]
Prosecutors said repeatedly during the trial the evidence contradicted Tensing’s story. Deters said after the mistrial the jury was leaning toward a conviction on voluntary manslaughter. [...]
To convict Tensing, now 27, of murder, jurors had to find he purposely killed the 43-year-old DuBose. The charge carries a possible sentence of 15 years to life in prison with conviction. The voluntary manslaughter charge means the killing happened during sudden passion or a fit of rage. That carries a possible sentence of three to 11 years.