NEW ORLEANS – A grand jury on Thursday declined to indict a white police officer who shot an elderly black man in the small Louisiana town of Homer in a case that heightened racial tension and sparked protests.
The panel returned a “no true bill,” meaning the case won’t go to trial, after considering and rejecting a range of charges including murder, manslaughter and negligent homicide against former police officer Tim Cox.
Many in the rural town of 3,800 were outraged by the shooting last February of Bernard Monroe, a 73-year-old left voiceless by cancer. Police said Monroe was armed when he was shot outside his home, but witnesses said he didn’t have a weapon.
The grand jury heard testimony from 20 witnesses over two days, said Kurt Wall, director of the criminal division of the state attorney general’s office. The attorney general handled the case after the local prosecutor recused himself.
“We believe it was a full, complete, accurate and thorough presentation conducted at a neutral site. We respect the grand jury’s decision,” Wall said.
An FBI spokeswoman said the bureau is continuing to investigate the case.
The leader of the local chapter of the NAACP was angered by the decision not to charge Cox.
“I am so disappointed,” said the Rev. Willie Young Sr. “When you have 12 witnesses that say the man did not have a gun and he was gunned down by police, what are you supposed to believe. We are left with the belief that police in Homer have a license to kill.”
Monroe was shot by Cox last Feb. 20 after Cox and another Homer police officer chased Monroe’s son through the house and shocked the younger man with a stun gun in the yard, authorities said. Louisiana State Police, which investigated the shooting, have said Cox shot Bernard Monroe several times.
Monroe, who had recently left a hospice after recovering from cancer that left him voiceless, was outside his home with about a dozen family members for a cookout when the shooting occurred.
Cox and the other officer, Joey Henry, have since resigned.
Monroe’s death heightened racial tensions in the town about 50 miles northeast of Shreveport. The Rev. Al Sharpton led about 150 people in a peaceful protest march in April.
Homer Police Chief Russell Mills said Thursday night that because of the civil litigation expected to come in the case, the city attorney had advised him not to comment.
“I wish I could,” Mills said. “And someday I will.”
After Thursday’s decision, Police Chief Russell Mills did not immediately return a phone call seeking comment.
Claiborne Parish District Attorney Johnathan Stewart turned the case over to Louisiana Attorney General Buddy Caldwell in December 2009, saying he wanted to avoid any appearance of favoritism or conflict of interest. His office is handling other criminal cases in which Cox and Henry are witnesses, and an assistant district attorney also serves as the town attorney for Homer.
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at 3:40 pm
Wow…racism still lingers lol! Whats even scarier is this: WHO IS HIRING THESE PEOPLE? Now dats even scarier.
at 6:01 am
We here these kinds of stories all the time. Than we go own with our day like nothing happened. Prediction. The next cop to shoot an unarmed black man will not be convicted. And the next, and the next. Nothing is going to change.
Hers is what we have to do. You remember the night when Obama got elected? How you had people from across the country all in the streets with one common goal.
Nobody was rioting. We where all out cause we wanted Barack. We have to do the same exact thing when a senseless crime like this happens. Take to the street in massive proportion. Than and only than will things change.
On top of that. The couple people who will get out and march. We want to talk about there hair or that they had a baby out of wed lock.
at 6:06 am
This is more than just one incident it’s a mentality that’s been bred and refined for generations. All the marching and fighting and court appeals can’t change that! If I weren’ from The South I definitely wouldn’t want to move here and expose my family to these type of consequences of being Profiled as the most Dangerous and chastised group of people in the world, the Southern Black Male. We are against all odds down here and if you are conscious at all of your environment you will have to face this type of s**t at least once in a lifetime some more than others. Sadly but a large percent ends in death or incarsiration. All the biggest conspiracy to exterminate the target. And with motives like that many innoscent people are suffering losses just because they were at any place at anytime. Since the 911 “cover up” We are the so called Terrorist. In most instances down here a run in with the police could either leave u dead or permanently tarnished for the rest of your life (prison, robbed, marked, etc). Now you in the system, which means less opportunity to even make a respectful living as God commands. So the entire system of protect and serve can go to hell from Marshall, TX Straight thru Louisiana into Mississippi with that profiling shoot first and no charges will be incurred. My message to youth Living here: get exposed and get educated you still have to prove yourself just because where you’re from but at least you won’t be forced to believe all the hogwash coming from apothetic people that are headed down that same bumpy tore up road.
at 3:12 am
GiGi_Ambition – Now you are talking!! That’s the message to spread! Education, like you just stated really is the key. We need to put that anger into educating ourselves – then we can really have the power to protect ourselves!!
Real_bumbleclot – I am going to “bow-out” on this one, bro!!
at 1:05 am
Well that’s sad…That’s why they say “who will guard the guards”…if those who are supposed to protect u are the very ones harming u, then it’s a sad state of affairs.
at 7:32 pm
Phuck the police!!! Punk-@$$ed B!TCHES!!! >:-O
at 3:51 pm
When you put on the badge you are not governed by the same rules. If he was armed…wheres the gun? It should be lying right next to him. It should have been a open shut case. If there is no weapon, this should be condidered a murder!Police are supposed to be experts. saying they thought they saw a gun is not good enough. These cops should not get special treatment. People don’t point guns at cops, just for this reason. This elderly was unarmed and they shot him down in cold blood. Retribution will be paid. God’s going to handle this for us. Do not worry. It will all be over soon.
at 3:38 pm
WELP WHEN WE START SHOOTING EVERY COP WHO DOES THIS IN THE MOST SLICK SLY WAY THEY WILL THINK TWICE ABOUT MURDERING OUR PEOPLE LIKE THIS
WOULD THEY DO THIS TO A MAFIA MEMBERS CHILD,ANSWER NO KUZ THEY HAVE A HISTORY OF FIGHTTING
BACK
AFRAKANS WE RAPE EACH OTHER AND LET OTHERS RAPE US
THIS MAY BE A CHINEESE CENTRUY BUT UP NEXT TO BAT IS AFRAKA
BIG THINGS ARE COMING MY PEOPLE
at 11:38 am
I hope that cheating officer is on the radar for revenge. Justice Department is not doing a good job at all, so i guess the police is sending the signal that they want blacks to take things in their own hands instead of going after each other.
at 9:22 am
EVEN IF WE LOOKED BEHIND RACE, WHERE IS THE GUN OR WEAPON THAT MONROE HAD? IF THE COPS DID NOT PRODUCE THE WEAPON CASE CLOSED, THEN HOW MANY TIMES DO YOU NEED TO SHOT A 73 YEAR OLD ANYWAY?? 1 SHOT IN THE LEG WOULD HAVE DONE IT, YOU DON’T SHOT TO KILL A 73 YEAR OLD PERIOD. BUT WE ALL KNOW IF THAT WAS A 73 YEAR OLD WHITE MAN HE WOULD HAVE BEEN GIVING 10 CHANCES TO GET ON THE GROUND AND THEN MAYBE TACKLED.
at 6:28 am
And the police wonder y the black community never wants 2 help them.
at 5:09 am
S**t like this always pissses me off and that why I say f**k the police.
Since this man was 73yo, wasn’t sellin dope, grilled out, pants saggin, dreads, and actin hood, I was sure that nobody would comment justifying the action of this cracka. So thanks Sort-it-out and blkman6ft6 for letting me know we still got trained house niggrahs out here with these racist crackaz.
at 11:42 pm
as crazy as this sounds but the cops that got off are not going to be free for the rest of there lives because they will have flashbacks and nightmares, that will bring unrest into their lives. However, examples like this make me really detest the cops.
at 11:21 pm
DOES ANYONE WONDER WHY PEOPLE HAVE STARTED TO TURN THE GUNS ON THE POLICE OFFICERS? IT IS BEGINNING TO BE 3 TO FIVE OFFICERS GETTING SHOT AT ONE TIME, I’M NOT SAYIN THAT IT IS RIGHT, BUT KARMA HAS TAKEN OVER FOR ALL THE INNOCENT VICTIMS AT THE HANDS OF POLICE OFFICERS ACROSS THE LAND. IT IS A DAMN SHAME THAT SOME OF THESE TRIGGER HAPPY COPS COPS GET AWAY WITH THE S**T. KARMA IS A B***H THOUGH
at 3:21 pm
KARMA IS A…… and should come back around Police are to protect and serve . not destroy and preserve. WhenI say preserve I mean their own kind Us Brown because we are not black, people are strong and we need to do something big really. Get that law degree and fight fire with fire! put the guns down and run up on them with your fist and your mind and pray to the almighty he will show you theway just ask!
at 2:35 pm
U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder needs to personally oversee this case.
Let’s put some pressure on his ass amd his office. I’m not suprised that the white cop wasn’t charged. He resigned, and they are hoping that this wiil just all go away. Us as unified black communities need to come together, and Exodus to Homer Loisiana …so we can tear that muthaf**ka up!!!! Burn it down GODDAM it! Show these crackers that we ain’t takin’ this s**t laying down anymore. We got us a black president!! Shiiit! …what are we standin’ round waitin’ for? I been ready to go to war and kill some of these redneck bastards. Until we kill’em all off, they will continue to stay around and keep influencing the next generation to be the same way. Let’s not kill all the white people, just most of them in the South and the Mid-West, above the age of 45 and up!!! Let’s Go!!!
at 3:14 am
But this man can still sue the city for civil suit; the cop was \WRONG, but don’t want to be held accountable for their foolish action….I read stories about OUR generations of Blacks being harassed by cops in old newspapers dated back to 1902…not much changed since then SMH…….
at 8:15 pm
blkman you the only one making sense. America is messed up because everybodies out there havin tons of babies, not raisin’em right. Then they end up as a bunch of thugs! For the Police it’s kill or be killed. If I worked as a cop in one of those bad azz neighbourhoods tha yall know yall live in. I wouldn’t wait for nobody to shooot me either. Raise your kids right and their won’t be no cops in your house that couldend up shooting you!
at 2:41 pm
the son was the one that should be upset he brought this on his dad and im sure the whole story isnt in this article where would the black communty be if the cops pulled out you no as well as i do the young thugs would take over and rob and kill old folks so lets get real black people
at 1:07 pm
well its nyce 2 know we have laws 2 protect the cops ’cause it damn sho’ aint protecting us….g thanks
at 12:29 pm
see this is the f**king sh*t im talking about. f**k them white devils…
at 11:38 am
I HOPE TO SEE ALL POLICE IN A SQUARE RECTANGLE BOX!! FUK EM ALL!! BLAKA BLAKA
at 10:56 am
THERE IS A GOD! HE WILL JUDGE THIS MATTER EVENTUALLY!
at 9:52 am
SEE THIS IS CRAZY……WTF…HOW COULD THIS POLICE OFFICER NOT BE CHARGED WITH SOMETHING….IT’S SO SAD OUT THERE…..THIS IS ONE OF THE REASONS WHY AMERIKKKA IS SO F**KED UP….!