A 73 year old Tulsa County reserve deputy, Robert Bates, fatally shot an African American male named Eric Harris on April 2 in what seems to be outraging the African American community as a hate crime. In the video that shows what transpired in this incident, the officer allegedly accidentally fired his weapon, fatally wounding the deceased Eric Harris.
CNN reported that Bates attorney, Scott Wood is claiming this is a case of “excusable homicide” saying, “We believe the video itself proves that it was an accident of misfortune that occurred while Deputy Bates was fulfilling his duties as a reserve deputy,” he said. “He is not guilty of second-degree manslaughter.”
Robert Bates is the CEO of an Insurance Company who has served as a reserve deputy in Tulsa County since 2008 completing 300 training hours and 1,100 hours of community policing experience. Questions are now arising to whether or not Bates was a necessary force in this situation that resulted in the death of Eric Harris.
The Harris family attorney, Daniel Smolen is intending to put Bate’s on the “hot seat” for large financial contributions he has made to the sheriff’s office in Tulsa County saying, “It’s absolutely mind boggling that you have a wealthy businessman who’s been essentially deputized to go play like he’s some outlaw, like he’s just cleaning up the streets.”
If convicted, Bates could spend up to four years in prison and be charged a fine upwards of $1,000.
RESERVE DEPUTY KILLS BLACK MAN