NOT GUILTY....BUT STILL FIRED

by Bob Walsh

Jeronimo Yanez is, or maybe was, a cop in the St. Paul, MINN. suburb of St. Anthony. He was just found not guilty of all charges in the shooting death of Philando Castile, 32, during a traffic stop last year.

After 29 hours of deliberation the jury came back with a NOT GUILTY finding. The dead guys family is, of course, going ballistic, screaming MURDER to anyone who will listen.

The City of St. Anthony immediately announced that " the public would best be served" if Yanez was dismissed and intend to offer him a "voluntary" separation package.

The jury was split 10-2 for acquittal early on, but eventually the notion of culpable negligence and the fact that Castile was stoned when the shooting happened led them to believe he might have made bad decisions that led to his own demise, like attempting to pull his gun even though the cop kept telling him to not do so. Castile had a permit to carry the weapon. I admit I do not know if it is legal or not in MI to carry while intoxicated. In addition the traffic stop was kosher, Castile did have a bum tail light on the car.

Much of the "real" issue was of course that the dead guy was black and the shooter was a cop who wasn't black.

It is unknown at this time whether or not Officer Yanez is going to accept the separation package or not. If I was him I would tell them to shove it, but that's just me.