KENOSHA – No police will be charged in the shooting of African American Jacob Blake, who was left paralysed in an incident that sparked unrest in the United States city of Kenosha in August, the prosecutor announced yesterday.
Kenosha County district attorney Michael Graveley said white police officer Rusten Sheskey had a reasonable claim of fear of being stabbed when he shot Blake several times in the back as the latter tried to get in his car.
Graveley said it is a “very narrow decision”, but based on existing law for officer-involved shootings, it will be difficult for state prosecutors to prove that Sheskey was not engaged in self-defence if he or others were charged in the case.
“No Kenosha law enforcement officer in this case will be charged with any criminal offense, based on the facts of the law.”
The shooting of the 29-year-old on August 23 in the Wisconsin town poured fuel onto nationwide anger over police shootings of black Americans, sparking several days of violent protests.
Bystander video showed Sheskey firing several shots into Blake's back as he tried to get into his car, while his three children sat inside.
Blake survived but was left paralysed, without the use of his legs.
Graveley said officers had reason to believe Blake was dangerous based on 911 calls to the scene from his estranged fiancee, an arrest warrant out for Blake on domestic abuse charges, and what Blake said to officers as he sought to leave the scene with his three children in the car.
He also said that officers made three attempts to tase Blake to subdue him, which all failed.
The district attorney said it is “absolutely incontrovertible” that Blake had armed himself with a knife while being confronted by police, and that Blake himself had admitted as much.
He added that Blake will also not be charged with any crime in the incident.
The shooting sparked three nights of violent protests, which culminated on the night of August 25 when, drawn to the city by calls from right-wing militia, a 17-year-old carrying an assault rifle, Kyle Rittenhouse, shot dead two protestors and wounded a third.
Earlier yesterday, Rittenhouse entered a plea of “not guilty” to murder charges in the shootings.
Ahead of Graveley’s announcement, the city girded for a new burst of protests.
Kenosha businesses boarded up shopfronts in preparation for possible violence, and Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers ordered the state’s National Guard to mobilise 500 guardsmen to help Kenosha law enforcement if needed.
Blake’s case fed into the election battle between Democrat Joe Biden and President Donald Trump, with Biden offering support for Blake’s family and decrying systemic racism in law enforcement, while Trump expressed support for the police plus law and order, and for Rittenhouse. – AFP, January 6, 2021
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