This article is from the source 'nytimes' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.nytimes.com/2017/09/17/us/jason-stockley-protests-st-louis.html

The article has changed 4 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 2 Version 3
St. Louis Protests: A Guide to the Police-Shooting Case St. Louis Protests: Police Say They ‘Owned’ the Night After 80 Arrests
(about 5 hours later)
ST. LOUIS — Hundreds of demonstrators gathered outside this city’s police headquarters on Sunday, and stood silent for six minutes — one for every year that has passed since the death of Anthony Lamar Smith, who was fatally shot by the police in 2011. It was the third day of protests following the acquittal of a white former St. Louis police officer, Jason Stockley, who shot Mr. Smith, a black 24-year-old, five times. ST. LOUIS — After a third night of protests following the acquittal of a white former St. Louis police officer in the fatal shooting of a black man, city officials early Monday were striking a more aggressive tone, with the acting police chief telling reporters that the police had “owned” the night.
The police said they had arrested 80 people overnight after demonstrators knocked over concrete flower pots, trash cans and newspaper stands and threw rocks through windows of downtown businesses.
“I’m proud to tell you the City of St. Louis is safe, and the police owned tonight,” Lawrence O’Toole, the acting chief, told reporters, adding later: “We’re in control. This is our city, and we’re going to protect it.”
Shortly after the arrests, police officers were heard by reporters chanting “Whose streets? Our streets,” commandeering a common refrain used by protesters, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported.
The demonstrations — largely peaceful during the days, then more volatile at night — continued Monday morning as a group of protesters marched through downtown. A day earlier, hundreds of demonstrators gathered outside the city’s police headquarters and stood silent for six minutes — one for every year that has passed since the death of Anthony Lamar Smith, who was fatally shot in 2011 by Jason Stockley, then a St. Louis police officer.
The shooting has been a matter of intense debate in St. Louis, but before this weekend it had drawn little attention elsewhere and the details of the case are not widely known outside the St. Louis region.The shooting has been a matter of intense debate in St. Louis, but before this weekend it had drawn little attention elsewhere and the details of the case are not widely known outside the St. Louis region.
Here are answers to some essential questions about the case, which was conducted without a jury.Here are answers to some essential questions about the case, which was conducted without a jury.
Prosecutors charged Mr. Stockley with first-degree murder and armed criminal action. They pointed to a remark Mr. Stockley made to his partner on the day of the shooting as evidence of premeditation. Their police sport-utility vehicle was racing after Mr. Smith’s silver Buick, which had hit the police vehicle twice and fled at high speed, when a recording device inside the officers’ vehicle captured Mr. Stockley saying he was “going to kill” the driver, “don’t you know it.” Prosecutors charged Mr. Stockley with first-degree murder and armed criminal action. They pointed to a remark Mr. Stockley made to his partner on the day of the shooting as evidence of premeditation. The officers’s police sport-utility vehicle was racing after Mr. Smith’s silver Buick, which had hit the police vehicle twice and fled at high speed, when a recording device inside the officers’ vehicle captured Mr. Stockley saying he was “going to kill” the driver, “don’t you know it.”
Prosecutors also suggested that Mr. Stockley had planted a gun inside Mr. Smith’s car after the chase ended and Mr. Smith lay dead. Video images showed that immediately after shooting Mr. Smith, Mr. Stockley returned to his own police S.U.V., and only later found a handgun tucked inside Mr. Smith’s car. Mr. Stockley’s DNA was later found on that gun, but Mr. Smith’s DNA was not. Prosecutors also suggested that Mr. Stockley had planted a gun inside Mr. Smith’s car after the chase ended and Mr. Smith lay dead, shot five times. Video showed that Mr. Stockley returned to his own police S.U.V. immediately after shooting Mr. Smith, and only later found a handgun tucked inside Mr. Smith’s car. Mr. Stockley’s DNA was later found on that gun, but Mr. Smith’s DNA was not.
The defense team said Mr. Stockley had plenty of reasons to know that Mr. Smith had a gun. Mr. Stockley testified that he had seen a gun in Mr. Smith’s hand inside the Buick after he initially approached Mr. Smith over a suspected drug deal in a parking lot, before the high-speed chase began. Mr. Stockley said that his partner also had yelled “Gun!” to signal that Mr. Smith had a weapon.The defense team said Mr. Stockley had plenty of reasons to know that Mr. Smith had a gun. Mr. Stockley testified that he had seen a gun in Mr. Smith’s hand inside the Buick after he initially approached Mr. Smith over a suspected drug deal in a parking lot, before the high-speed chase began. Mr. Stockley said that his partner also had yelled “Gun!” to signal that Mr. Smith had a weapon.
When the fatal confrontation occurred a short time later, after the high-speed chase, Mr. Stockley said, Mr. Smith was reaching for something as the officers stood at his driver’s side window, and he assumed it was a gun.When the fatal confrontation occurred a short time later, after the high-speed chase, Mr. Stockley said, Mr. Smith was reaching for something as the officers stood at his driver’s side window, and he assumed it was a gun.
The defense rejected suggestions that the officer had planted anything. After the shooting, Mr. Stockley went back to the police vehicle to get a medical dressing that slows bleeding, they said, not to get an extra gun. An expert testified that someone can hold a gun and not leave DNA on it, so the absence of Mr. Smith’s DNA on the gun was not proof that he had not held it.The defense rejected suggestions that the officer had planted anything. After the shooting, Mr. Stockley went back to the police vehicle to get a medical dressing that slows bleeding, they said, not to get an extra gun. An expert testified that someone can hold a gun and not leave DNA on it, so the absence of Mr. Smith’s DNA on the gun was not proof that he had not held it.
In the end, Judge Timothy Wilson of the St. Louis Circuit acquitted Mr. Smith on Friday morning, saying he was “simply not firmly convinced of defendant’s guilt.” In the end, Judge Timothy Wilson of the St. Louis Circuit acquitted Mr. Stockley on Friday morning, saying he was “simply not firmly convinced of defendant’s guilt.”
Protesters gathered within minutes, and they have marched each day since then, in downtown streets, entertainment districts and a suburban mall. The marchers have included people of a wide range of ages and of different races, and their numbers and makeup have shifted significantly at various points during the weekend. Protesters gathered within minutes of the verdict, and they have marched each day since then, in downtown streets, entertainment districts and a suburban mall. The marchers have included people of a wide range of ages and of different races, and their numbers and makeup have shifted significantly at various points during the weekend.
Most demonstrators have been peaceful, but there were violent incidents after dark both Friday and Saturday. At least 11 law enforcement officers were injured, the mayor’s house was vandalized and windows were broken at several businesses and a public library. The police said they made at least 42 arrests on a variety of charges, including rioting and assault. Most demonstrators have been peaceful, but there have been violent incidents after dark each night. At least 11 law enforcement officers have been injured, the mayor’s house was vandalized and windows were broken at several businesses and a public library.
The rock band U2 and the singer Ed Sheeran canceled concerts that were scheduled for downtown St. Louis, citing security concerns, and many school districts in the region canceled weekend activities.The rock band U2 and the singer Ed Sheeran canceled concerts that were scheduled for downtown St. Louis, citing security concerns, and many school districts in the region canceled weekend activities.
Another largely peaceful protest took place on Sunday afternoon but it escalated in the evening when a smaller group of roughly 100 demonstrators marched from the city’s police headquarters through the heart of the downtown. They knocked over large concrete flower pots, trash cans and newspaper stands on several blocks, and threw rocks through several windows at the Marriott St. Louis Grand Hotel.
Police officers on bicycles and in cars swarmed the area, and by 1 a.m. Monday more than 80 people had been arrested. “I’m proud to tell you the city of St. Louis is safe and the police owned tonight,” Chief Lawrence O’Toole said at a news conference.
Elected leaders, protesters and other residents of this region are deeply aware of the area’s early role in the current national debate over how police officers treat black people. The region became the focal point of that debate in 2014 following the death of Michael Brown, an unarmed black man who was shot by police in Ferguson, one of the many small municipalities that surround St. Louis.Elected leaders, protesters and other residents of this region are deeply aware of the area’s early role in the current national debate over how police officers treat black people. The region became the focal point of that debate in 2014 following the death of Michael Brown, an unarmed black man who was shot by police in Ferguson, one of the many small municipalities that surround St. Louis.
The region’s top elected offices — governor of Missouri and mayor of St. Louis — have both changed hands since the events in Ferguson.The region’s top elected offices — governor of Missouri and mayor of St. Louis — have both changed hands since the events in Ferguson.
Gov. Eric Greitens, a Republican who took office this year, has repeatedly criticized his Democratic predecessor’s approach to the protests that followed the Ferguson shooting, saying that while peaceful marchers should be respected, if “you break a window, you’re going to be behind bars.”Gov. Eric Greitens, a Republican who took office this year, has repeatedly criticized his Democratic predecessor’s approach to the protests that followed the Ferguson shooting, saying that while peaceful marchers should be respected, if “you break a window, you’re going to be behind bars.”
Anticipating the possibility of trouble, he placed the Missouri National Guard on standby on Friday before the verdict was announced. “In the past, our leaders let people break windows, loot, start fires,” Mr. Greitens wrote Sunday morning on Facebook. “They let them do it. Not this time.”Anticipating the possibility of trouble, he placed the Missouri National Guard on standby on Friday before the verdict was announced. “In the past, our leaders let people break windows, loot, start fires,” Mr. Greitens wrote Sunday morning on Facebook. “They let them do it. Not this time.”
The mayor of St. Louis, Lyda Krewson, a Democrat, has taken a less confrontational approach, even though her own house was vandalized during the demonstrations on Friday.The mayor of St. Louis, Lyda Krewson, a Democrat, has taken a less confrontational approach, even though her own house was vandalized during the demonstrations on Friday.
She seemed to try to convey a sense of normalcy in the city, while also promising to address protesters’ concerns. Before the protests on Saturday night, she said that “I think it’s quite safe right now,” and that the weekend’s events showed the need for “coming together to have a better St. Louis for all of us.”She seemed to try to convey a sense of normalcy in the city, while also promising to address protesters’ concerns. Before the protests on Saturday night, she said that “I think it’s quite safe right now,” and that the weekend’s events showed the need for “coming together to have a better St. Louis for all of us.”
Ms. Krewson, who is white, leads a city with nearly equal numbers of black and white residents and a long history of racial division. She outpolled several well-known African-American candidates in the mayoral election in the spring.Ms. Krewson, who is white, leads a city with nearly equal numbers of black and white residents and a long history of racial division. She outpolled several well-known African-American candidates in the mayoral election in the spring.
Early Monday, she told reporters she had seen that “the vast majority of protesters are nonviolent. But for the third day in a row, the days have been calm and the nights have been destructive.” She added later: “A group of agitators stayed behind, apparently intent on breaking windows and destroying property. This is not acceptable. We have work to do here in the city. We need more and better opportunities for all of our citizens. But destruction cannot be tolerated.”