Jeronimo Yanez, the officer who shot and killed 32-year-old Philando Castile in St. Anthony, Minnesota, was aquitted of all charges (including second-degree manslaughter and endangering safety), on Friday the New York Times reports.
Yanez pulled over Castile in July of last year for having a broken tail light, and Castile allegedly informed Yanez that he had a registered firearm in the car, explaining that he was reaching for his ID. Yanez then shot Castile seven times, and the case made national news and lead to protests when Castile’s girlfriend Diamond Reynolds used Facebook live to record the aftermath. Both Reynolds and her young daughter were in the car when Castile was shot.
After the verdict was announced, Castile’s family reportedly left the courtroom crying, and his mother Valerie Castile yelled an expletive when the verdict was announced. She later told reporters, “My son loved this city, and this city killed my son. And a murderer gets away,” she said. “Are you kidding me right now? The system in this country continues to fail black people and will continue to fail us.”
Castile family members crying as they exit the Ramsey Co. Courthouse. Yanez found NOT guilty. @kare11 #YanezTrial pic.twitter.com/JOhFiDQUOx
— Cory Hepola (@CoryHepola) June 16, 2017
Judge Glenda Hatchett, a representative for Castile’s mother, told Buzzfeed News, “This time, we didn’t have a man fleeing from the scene or fighting with police. We had a man who was fully compliant like his mother taught him.”
Despite being aquitted, it was announced shortly after the verdict that Yanez will no longer serve as a police officer in the city of St. Anthony.