Mistrial in Case of White Cop Who Fatally Shot Black Driver

A mistrial has been declared in the case of a white Ohio cop who shot and killed an unarmed black driver during a traffic stop, sparking outrage and protests last year, NBC News reports. According to the AP, jurors deliberated for 25 hours but couldn't come to a decision on the charges faced by 26-year-old former University of Cincinnati police officer Ray Tensing. Tensing pulled 43-year-old Samuel DuBose over in July 2015 because DuBose was missing a front license plate. During the traffic stop, DuBose—who police say had marijuana in the car and had previously been convicted of dealing—began to drive away, the New York Times reports. Tensing claims he was being dragged by the car and shot DuBose in the head out of fear for his life.

But footage from Tensing's body camera doesn't show Tensing being dragged, and prosecutors say none of the evidence backs up Tensing's story. Prosecutor Joseph Deters calls it a "senseless, asinine shooting." Tensing was charged with murder and voluntary manslaughter. Jurors were leaning toward convicting him on the lesser charge but couldn't agree if Tensing had "acted in a fit of rage or sudden passion." Deters says prosecutors will decide in the next two weeks whether to retry the case or dismiss the charges. Meanwhile, Tensing is free on $1 million bond. (More Ray Tensing stories.)