Antwon Rose’s mother is speaking out, after the verdict came down acquitting a former police officer in her son’s death.
Antwon Rose’s mother is speaking out, after the verdict came down acquitting a former police officer in her son’s death.
“I hope that man never sleeps at night. I hope he gets as much sleep as I do, which is none.” Michelle Kenney told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
Kenney was referring to former police officer Michael Rosfeld, who had been charged with criminal homicide in the death of the 17-year-old unarmed black teen.
The family’s lawyer, S. Lee Merritt, told reporters Friday, "And the verdict today says that that is OK. That that is acceptable behavior from a police officer. And on behalf of the rose family, the African American community and lovers of justice, we say it's not OK."
Last June, Rosfeld pulled over an unlicensed taxi that Rose was riding in, on suspicion it had been involved in a driveby shooting minutes earlier.
While the driver was being handcuffed, Rose turned to run away from Rosfeld.
Claiming he thought he saw a gun, Rosfeld fired at Rose, hitting him in the face, elbow and back. The whole thing was caught on video and uploaded to social media.
Rosfeld was charged after investigators said he kept switching up his story.
His attorney, Patrick Thomassey, said Rosfeld told him the case wasn't about race. "It had nothing to do with that kid's color. I was doing what I was trained to do."
Protests erupted Friday night and shots were reportedly fired into Thomassey's office.
In a statement, Pittsburg Mayor William Peduto said in part, "Words cannot heal the pain so many are feeling. Only action can begin the process, a process that will take work and understanding. An understanding that inequality exists and we have a moral obligation to address it."
RELATED STORIES
