A former South Carolina trooper who was caught on dashcam video shooting an unarmed Black man reaching for his license pleaded guilty to assault and “battery of a high and aggravated nature,” ABC reports.
The development in Trooper Sean Groubert’s case came Monday, almost two years after he shot Levar Jones during a traffic stop. Groubert initially stopped Jones, 35, at a convenience store for a seat belt violation. When Jones reached over to grab his license, a command from Groubert, the trooper opened fire, telling the victim to get out of the car.
Jones, who can be heard on video saying “I just got my license,” sustained a non-fatal wound to his hip.
Groubert was fired and arrested in September 2014.
The shooting was another incident of police violence between a White cop and an unarmed Black man that added to the national conversation about police brutality against people of color.
From ABC:
ABC affiliate WOLO-TV in Columbia reported that the judge accepted Groubert’s plea [Monday] and that he will be taken into custody until sentencing.
If convicted, the former trooper could face up to 20 years in prison.
SOURCE: ABC | VIDEO SOURCE: Inform
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Former SC Trooper Accused Of Shooting Unarmed Black Man Reaching For License Pleads Guilty was originally published on newsone.com
