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| Cleveland policeman Brelo cleared over car shooting deaths | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| A judge in the US city of Cleveland has cleared a police officer over the deaths of two unarmed black people killed in a barrage of police fire. | A judge in the US city of Cleveland has cleared a police officer over the deaths of two unarmed black people killed in a barrage of police fire. |
| Michael Brelo, 31, was acquitted of the voluntary manslaughter of Timothy Russell and Malissa Williams in November 2012. | Michael Brelo, 31, was acquitted of the voluntary manslaughter of Timothy Russell and Malissa Williams in November 2012. |
| Thirteen officers had fired shots but only Mr Brelo was charged. | Thirteen officers had fired shots but only Mr Brelo was charged. |
| The US has seen a series of police-related deaths, some of which have led to serious civil unrest. | The US has seen a series of police-related deaths, some of which have led to serious civil unrest. |
| In Cleveland itself, the police shooting last November of a 12-year-old black boy, Tamir Rice, as he waved a replica firearm, fuelled the national debate over police use of deadly force. | |
| Community and city leaders in the city were braced for possible unrest over the latest ruling. | |
| The case involving the deaths of Russell and Williams had sparked a department of justice inquiry that concluded Cleveland police had engaged in a pattern of excessive force and violation of civil rights. | |
| 137-shot barrage | |
| Only Mr Brelo was charged because prosecutors said the pair in the car were no longer a threat when he climbed on to the bonnet of their car and fired 15 shots through the windscreen. | Only Mr Brelo was charged because prosecutors said the pair in the car were no longer a threat when he climbed on to the bonnet of their car and fired 15 shots through the windscreen. |
| But the judge said that as other officers had fired in a 137-shot barrage, he could not rule beyond reasonable doubt that Mr Brelo was responsible for the deaths. | But the judge said that as other officers had fired in a 137-shot barrage, he could not rule beyond reasonable doubt that Mr Brelo was responsible for the deaths. |
| Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Judge John O'Donnell also cleared Mr Brelo of the lesser count of felonious assault. | |
| The judge said he would not "sacrifice" Mr Brelo if the evidence did not warrant conviction. | |
| "Guilty or not guilty, the verdict should be no cause for a civilised society to celebrate or riot," he said. | |
| Mr Brelo had faced up to 22 years in jail if convicted of voluntary manslaughter. | Mr Brelo had faced up to 22 years in jail if convicted of voluntary manslaughter. |
| The incident occurred when the car, a Chevy Malibu, backfired while speeding past Cleveland police HQ, and officers thought a gun had been discharged. | The incident occurred when the car, a Chevy Malibu, backfired while speeding past Cleveland police HQ, and officers thought a gun had been discharged. |
| Some 62 police cars were then involved in a 22-mile chase at speeds up to 100 mph. | Some 62 police cars were then involved in a 22-mile chase at speeds up to 100 mph. |
| There have been a number of police shooting deaths in the US that have sparked race-related protests. | |
| The two most serious were in Ferguson, Missouri, and in Baltimore. | |
| In April, Freddie Gray died in hospital a week after Baltimore police had taken him into custody. | |
| His death sparked weeks of protests and later riots and looting in the city. | |
| In Ferguson, teenager Michael Brown was killed last August by a white police officer. His death sparked protests, sometimes violent, as police were criticised for using military grade riot gear. | |
| Further unrest followed a grand jury's decision not to charge the officer. |