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[suspenseful music]
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♪ ♪
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‐ It's incredibly rare
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for criminal defendants
to take the stand.
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It is a risk very few take.
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At stake, one's freedom
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or even their life.
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This is Roy Oliver,
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a Texas police officer
charged with the murder
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of 15‐year‐old Jordan Edwards.
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He's decided
to take that gamble.
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Will it help him convince
the jury that he's not guilty?
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‐ I had to make a decision.
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There were threats
inside the car.
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‐ Or will it come back
to haunt him?
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‐ I had no other option
but to use lethal force.
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[gunshots]
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He was trying to hit you.
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‐ Take a courtside seat
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with the prosecutor,
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the DA's investigator,
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the victim's family attorney,
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and the journalist
who covered the trial.
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I'm Dan Abrams,
and this is "Under Oath."
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‐ Raise your right hand.
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‐ Do you solemnly swear?
‐ I'm being honest
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with everything
I've said here.
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‐ Do you solemnly swear?
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‐ The whole truth
and nothing but the truth.
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‐ I would like to testify.
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‐ The testimony
you are about to give‐‐
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the whole truth
and nothing but the truth‐‐
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‐ So help you God.
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♪ ♪
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‐ Texas is littered
with stories
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of famous tough cops.
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And they're violent at times.
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‐ You shoot this young man
in the back of the head?
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♪ ♪
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‐ Roy Oliver's a Texas lawman
in a rare predicament.
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He's standing trial for
the shooting and killing
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of an unarmed ninth grade boy
in the line of duty.
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He's lost his job,
he's been charged with
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aggravated assault and murder,
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which means
he may lose his freedom.
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Oliver and his attorneys
have made a big decision:
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he'll take the witness stand
to explain how and why
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the shooting happened.
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[intense music]
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♪ ♪
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‐ The word in the courtroom
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was not if Roy Oliver
was gonna take the stand,
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it was when he was
gonna take the stand.
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‐ Mr. Oliver had to
get on there
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and try and humanize himself.
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Make himself likable
to the jury.
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‐ As egregious
as his case was,
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his testimony was not only
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trying to get off...
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‐ But his testimony was about
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limiting the amount of time
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that he would spend in prison.
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♪ ♪
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‐ Roy Oliver has to try
to convince jurors
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to see his side,
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in the hope that they believe
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he was acting lawfully
with a valid reason.
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But before they're asked
to put themselves
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in Oliver's shoes,
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the jurors have to grapple with
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a devastating tragedy:
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the death of Jordan Edwards.
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♪ ♪
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‐ Jordan Edwards was
a straight‐A student.
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Jordan Edwards was
loved by his teachers,
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he was loved by his coaches,
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he was loved by
his classmates.
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This was just a perfect kid.
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‐ He played football
and he loved football
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even though he was,
like, 4'9" tall.
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He sometimes brought
his Bible to school
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to read during study hall.
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He was so friendly that
everybody called him "Smiley."
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‐ Why did they call him
"Smiley"?
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‐ 'Cause he doing
just what he normally did,
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which was smile.
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‐ He was always smiling?
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‐ Yes, ma'am.
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♪ ♪
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‐ On April 29, 2017,
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there was a kid
who was throwing a party.
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‐ It was a party that
was being thrown because
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the host of the party's
parents were out of town.
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♪ ♪
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And so Jordan and
his half brother, Vidal Allen;
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his full brother,
Kevon Edwards;
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and then
their two best friends,
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Maximus and Maxwell Everette,
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they get into Odell Edwards'
Chevrolet Impala.
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They're real excited to go.
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And once they got there,
it was easy to see why.
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♪ ♪
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‐ Everybody was
enjoying themselves
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and just doing
what teenagers do.
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Unbeknownst to them,
someone made a call
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to the Balch Springs
Police Department.
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‐ Around 11:00, a call went in
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complaining about loud noise
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coming from a neighbor's home.
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‐ That one phone call
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would lead to the death
of Jordan Edwards.
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♪ ♪
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‐ The police get a call
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and they send two officers,
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Tyler Gross and Roy Oliver,
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to the location
on Baron Street
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where this party
is being held.
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‐ I'm Officer Gross, okay?
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‐ Officer Gross.
‐ I don't want
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to see this again.
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‐ Yeah, give us just a minute.
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‐ They're having a very
routine encounter with
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a bunch of kids that are,
shall we say,
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having too much fun.
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‐ I ain't expecting to get‐‐
‐ I know.
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[gunshots]
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[people screaming]
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‐ Then all of a sudden,
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12 shots ring out
from a nursing home...
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[gunshots]
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Located about 100 yards
to the east.
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‐ It sounded like
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a semiautomatic
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or maybe multiple
semiautomatics going off
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in a very close proximity.
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‐ 64, shots fired.
[people screaming]
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‐ I exited the house.
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The kids that
had ran out of the house
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and went eastbound
on Baron Drive
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were then running back
westbound to the house
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and screaming.
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[people screaming]
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‐ Both officers
exit the house.
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There is a sense of urgency
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as to where did
those shots come from
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'cause you know you've got
kids everywhere.
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‐ Gross broke to the right.
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I broke off to my squad car
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to get the patrol rifle.
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♪ ♪
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‐ Roy Oliver
runs to his police SUV,
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opens up the trunk,
grabs an AR‐15
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that had just been
issued to him...
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♪ ♪
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And he races for
the sound of the gunshots.
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‐ Tyler Gross picked out
this dark colored Chevy Impala
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that was backing up down the
street towards the main road.
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‐ They were going into
the direction of
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the black Chevy Impala
that Jordan Edwards
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was a passenger in.
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‐ Officer Gross
actually approaches
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the car from the side.
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‐ Gross has keyed in
on something.
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What has Gross keyed in on?
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‐ He raps on the back
passenger window of the car
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just trying to get
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the attention of the driver,
Vidal Allen.
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Inexplicably, the window
breaks as a result of that.
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‐ The vehicle came to a stop
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for a slight moment and then
accelerated forward.
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I am focused on the vehicle.
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It was coming
at an angle at him.
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And as it was gaining ground
towards him,
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I had to make a decision.
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[rapid gunshots]
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You all right?
‐ Yeah, I'm fine.
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‐ They were trying to hit you.
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‐ Second shot
kills poor Jordan.
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Goes into the back of his head
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and kills him immediately.
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[somber music]
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‐ Roy Oliver had
to take the stand
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in order to justify
his actions at the time
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that he pulled his trigger.
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‐ Roy Oliver's second bullet
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kills Jordan Edwards
instantly.
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Several days later,
he's fired.
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Now, Oliver maintains his
decision to shoot was lawful,
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but he's indicted for
aggravated assault and murder
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in Dallas County.
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The last time a cop
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faced a murder charge here
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was over four decades earlier.
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And as the trial proceeds,
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one of Oliver's
biggest challenges
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becomes clear:
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his patrol partner
had his own story to tell.
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‐ Turned and saw that Oliver
was standing next to me.
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And then I saw the smoke
from his weapon.
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‐ That he was the one
that had shot.
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‐ We hear a lot about
the "blue wall"
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that police officers have,
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that they always
defend one another.
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‐ Uh, I didn't‐‐
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I was not in fear
at that point.
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[tense music]
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‐ Gross took the stand
and said
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he never felt like
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he was in fear of his life.
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Oliver's partner's testimony
was devastating.
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‐ Tyler Gross' response
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is not equal
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to that of Roy Oliver's
response, obviously.
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Both of them have
two different perceptions
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of what's going on here.
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♪ ♪
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‐ What happened out there
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on April 29th of 2017
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happened in a split second.
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‐ The first job of the defense
is to introduce the defendant.
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It's the starting point
for the jury
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to begin to see him
as a person
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and perhaps sympathize
with him.
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It's a high‐stakes moment.
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Oliver's freedom
is on the line.
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So who was Roy Oliver,
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the cop at
the center of the trial?
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‐ Dropped out of high school,
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worked at the music store,
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became the assistant manager
at that location.
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A friend of mine was
working at a department store
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in loss prevention.
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He recruited me,
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so I went over there to help
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catch the internal
employees stealing
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or the shoplifters.
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♪ ♪
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‐ He dropped out of
high school to go to work.
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He ended up joining the army.
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He'd served two tours in Iraq.
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He's wearing a little
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autism lapel pin
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00:09:16,933 --> 00:09:19,185
because he has a child
who has autism.
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♪ ♪
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It was important to get
Oliver on the stand
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to show the jurors
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why did he feel he had to go
to such extremes
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to defend his partner.
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The only person
that can explain that
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is Oliver.
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‐ I hear Gross, I'm running.
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I'm not looking as broad
left and right.
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I'm focused on Gross.
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Figuring out
what has he locked onto,
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what is he going after,
why is he going after it.
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The only reason I'm thinking
he's going after it is
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active shooters,
he's got them located.
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We've got to stop the vehicle.
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‐ When the vehicle
was moving towards my partner.
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I had to make a decision.
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This car's about
to hit my partner.
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00:10:02,979 --> 00:10:04,689
There are threats
inside the car.
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And I had no other option
but to use lethal force.
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[rapid gunshots]
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You all right?
‐ Yeah, I'm fine.
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‐ He was trying to hit you.
267
00:10:20,746 --> 00:10:22,623
‐ Make sure my partner
was okay.
268
00:10:22,748 --> 00:10:24,959
‐ After Roy Oliver shot into
the Chevy Impala,
269
00:10:25,042 --> 00:10:26,878
the car's driver, Vidal Allen,
270
00:10:27,003 --> 00:10:28,754
pulled the vehicle over
seeking help.
271
00:10:28,838 --> 00:10:30,923
Roy Oliver and other officers
272
00:10:31,007 --> 00:10:33,342
discovered Vidal's brother,
Jordan Edwards,
273
00:10:33,426 --> 00:10:36,095
dead in the
front passenger seat.
274
00:10:43,311 --> 00:10:45,438
♪ ♪
275
00:10:45,563 --> 00:10:47,190
‐ Sick to my stomach.
276
00:10:47,315 --> 00:10:48,441
Heartbroken.
277
00:10:48,524 --> 00:10:49,483
‐ It's kind of tricky because
278
00:10:49,567 --> 00:10:50,693
if you talk about remorse,
279
00:10:50,776 --> 00:10:52,570
that is almost a concession
280
00:10:52,653 --> 00:10:54,238
that you've done
something wrong.
281
00:10:54,322 --> 00:10:56,073
‐ Police investigators
figured out later
282
00:10:56,199 --> 00:10:58,326
from witnesses
that the gunshots
283
00:10:58,409 --> 00:11:00,995
heard by partygoers and
Officers Oliver and Gross
284
00:11:01,078 --> 00:11:03,289
were fired
randomly into the air
285
00:11:03,414 --> 00:11:05,041
by a local gang nearby.
286
00:11:05,082 --> 00:11:06,834
‐ If any of those witnesses
287
00:11:06,918 --> 00:11:09,670
that I watched
these past few days,
288
00:11:09,754 --> 00:11:11,714
if any of them would have
been able
289
00:11:11,839 --> 00:11:13,299
to actually just...
290
00:11:13,382 --> 00:11:15,343
♪ ♪
291
00:11:15,426 --> 00:11:17,386
Step up, wave their arms,
292
00:11:17,470 --> 00:11:19,889
yell, "Hey,
that's not the vehicle."
293
00:11:19,972 --> 00:11:20,973
♪ ♪
294
00:11:21,057 --> 00:11:24,310
If anyone
would have intervened,
295
00:11:24,393 --> 00:11:25,519
it could have‐‐
296
00:11:25,645 --> 00:11:27,855
it would have changed
the outcome.
297
00:11:27,939 --> 00:11:30,024
‐ When he talks about
how he had to do it,
298
00:11:30,107 --> 00:11:32,276
I think that's posturing
for the jury.
299
00:11:32,401 --> 00:11:34,695
‐ There was a whole other
side of Roy Oliver
300
00:11:34,779 --> 00:11:37,073
that the jury had not seen.
301
00:11:37,156 --> 00:11:38,324
There was this
302
00:11:38,407 --> 00:11:39,742
picture of Roy Oliver
303
00:11:39,867 --> 00:11:41,202
that the prosecution had
304
00:11:41,327 --> 00:11:44,622
that they were ready
to unload on the jury,
305
00:11:44,747 --> 00:11:45,957
and they did.
306
00:11:50,211 --> 00:11:51,671
[tense music]
307
00:11:57,218 --> 00:11:58,344
‐ You could, yes.
308
00:12:02,890 --> 00:12:05,017
‐ Depending on the environment.
309
00:12:05,142 --> 00:12:06,519
‐ During cross‐examination,
310
00:12:06,560 --> 00:12:08,354
the tone of the trial changes.
311
00:12:08,396 --> 00:12:10,147
It is night and day.
312
00:12:10,231 --> 00:12:13,526
The defendant will undergo
fierce and tactical questioning
313
00:12:13,609 --> 00:12:15,361
by the prosecution.
314
00:12:15,403 --> 00:12:18,197
Under increasing pressure,
can Roy Oliver,
315
00:12:18,281 --> 00:12:20,491
former infantryman
and patrol cop,
316
00:12:20,574 --> 00:12:21,701
hold up?
317
00:12:21,742 --> 00:12:26,497
♪ ♪
318
00:12:29,834 --> 00:12:31,919
I think about Jordan Edwards
every single day.
319
00:12:32,003 --> 00:12:34,171
I didn't want
to lose that case.
320
00:12:34,255 --> 00:12:39,302
‐ When you have a hard‐nosed,
tough, no‐nonsense prosecutor,
321
00:12:39,385 --> 00:12:40,803
that prosecutor would be
322
00:12:40,886 --> 00:12:42,179
all over him
323
00:12:42,263 --> 00:12:45,266
trying to get him
to lose control
324
00:12:45,391 --> 00:12:47,393
and show the jury
325
00:12:47,518 --> 00:12:48,894
what he's really like.
326
00:12:58,362 --> 00:12:59,405
‐ That is a risk.
327
00:12:59,488 --> 00:13:01,157
♪ ♪
328
00:13:04,243 --> 00:13:05,453
‐ I believe it is.
329
00:13:16,505 --> 00:13:18,049
‐ Correct.
330
00:13:18,841 --> 00:13:20,009
‐ Correct.
331
00:13:20,092 --> 00:13:21,218
♪ ♪
332
00:13:21,344 --> 00:13:23,846
‐ When the jury has
the opportunity to see
333
00:13:23,929 --> 00:13:27,266
a defendant's mannerism
totally change,
334
00:13:27,391 --> 00:13:29,852
that is when you now
have the opportunity
335
00:13:29,935 --> 00:13:32,021
to attack that
person's credibility.
336
00:13:32,104 --> 00:13:33,064
♪ ♪
337
00:13:39,070 --> 00:13:42,031
‐ Yes, anytime
you're put in a situation,
338
00:13:42,073 --> 00:13:44,158
if you take a life, that's‐‐
339
00:13:44,241 --> 00:13:47,745
that's not something that
happens easily by any means.
340
00:13:47,828 --> 00:13:49,747
‐ The prosecutor wants
Roy Oliver
341
00:13:49,830 --> 00:13:51,874
increasingly uncomfortable
on the stand.
342
00:13:51,957 --> 00:13:54,418
So maybe he'll even reveal
343
00:13:54,502 --> 00:13:57,213
a more aggressive side
for the jurors.
344
00:14:07,556 --> 00:14:08,891
‐ Yes, he was failing to‐‐
345
00:14:08,974 --> 00:14:11,018
he failed to comply
with Officer Gross
346
00:14:11,102 --> 00:14:13,145
and he failed to comply
with what
347
00:14:13,229 --> 00:14:15,022
Officer Chambly
was telling him.
348
00:14:15,106 --> 00:14:16,732
‐ The prosecution's
investigation found
349
00:14:16,816 --> 00:14:19,026
another way
to give the jury a glimpse
350
00:14:19,110 --> 00:14:21,904
of Oliver's character,
of a darker side.
351
00:14:22,029 --> 00:14:23,781
Since he testified
on the witness stand,
352
00:14:23,906 --> 00:14:25,366
there was what attorneys call
353
00:14:25,449 --> 00:14:26,450
"an open door."
354
00:14:26,575 --> 00:14:28,911
It's the legal leeway
to bring up other,
355
00:14:29,036 --> 00:14:31,914
less flattering aspects
of a defendant's past.
356
00:14:31,997 --> 00:14:36,085
In this case, a damaging
Facebook post Oliver had made.
357
00:14:48,097 --> 00:14:50,057
‐ That was a repost.
That's correct.
358
00:14:50,141 --> 00:14:52,810
‐ Even if it's reposting
somebody else's,
359
00:14:52,893 --> 00:14:55,187
when he posted it,
he made it his own.
360
00:14:55,312 --> 00:14:57,648
‐ That's an
incredibly dangerous,
361
00:14:57,731 --> 00:15:00,860
horrible thought to have.
362
00:15:00,985 --> 00:15:02,194
‐ Damaging past behavior
363
00:15:02,278 --> 00:15:05,197
often keeps defendants
off the witness stand.
364
00:15:05,281 --> 00:15:07,116
In Oliver's case,
the prosecution
365
00:15:07,199 --> 00:15:08,367
now had another door to open,
366
00:15:08,451 --> 00:15:10,661
allegedly,
into his temperament.
367
00:15:10,744 --> 00:15:12,872
It was an off‐duty incident.
368
00:15:12,997 --> 00:15:14,206
It was investigated,
369
00:15:14,248 --> 00:15:16,333
it was included in his
disciplinary record,
370
00:15:16,417 --> 00:15:19,253
during which Oliver
drew his gun.
371
00:15:19,378 --> 00:15:21,213
‐ I think one of the most
significant moments
372
00:15:21,297 --> 00:15:23,966
in the trial came
when the prosecution,
373
00:15:24,049 --> 00:15:27,178
trying to prove what kind
of person Oliver was,
374
00:15:27,303 --> 00:15:29,680
put on the stand
two young women
375
00:15:29,763 --> 00:15:31,849
who said that
two weeks before,
376
00:15:31,974 --> 00:15:34,810
they rear‐ended Oliver's car
377
00:15:34,894 --> 00:15:36,187
and that he got out
378
00:15:36,270 --> 00:15:37,688
and pulled a gun on them.
379
00:15:37,730 --> 00:15:40,566
‐ I was watching him
walk towards me,
380
00:15:40,649 --> 00:15:43,360
and when he got right here,
381
00:15:43,444 --> 00:15:45,029
next‐‐when I turned
to the side,
382
00:15:45,154 --> 00:15:47,323
all I could see is the
end of the gun in my face.
383
00:15:47,907 --> 00:15:49,200
‐ So...
384
00:15:50,242 --> 00:15:51,535
‐ Yeah.
385
00:15:51,660 --> 00:15:52,703
‐ I'm positive.
386
00:15:52,786 --> 00:15:54,205
I can't forget
a gun in my face.
387
00:15:56,665 --> 00:15:58,542
‐ No, I had both hands
on the steering wheel
388
00:15:58,626 --> 00:16:00,711
and I was leaning forward
389
00:16:00,794 --> 00:16:02,505
so in case he were to fire,
390
00:16:02,588 --> 00:16:05,174
I knew I was gonna get hit
and not my sister.
391
00:16:05,299 --> 00:16:08,511
‐ Something's wrong
with his threat level.
392
00:16:08,594 --> 00:16:11,889
‐ As soon as he
stepped out of his truck,
393
00:16:11,972 --> 00:16:13,307
he approached our vehicle
very quickly.
394
00:16:13,390 --> 00:16:15,267
'Cause he was angry.
He was raging.
395
00:16:15,351 --> 00:16:17,269
‐ What the Dallas County
Prosecutor's Office
396
00:16:17,353 --> 00:16:19,730
wanted to point out
to the jury
397
00:16:19,813 --> 00:16:21,941
is that Roy Oliver
398
00:16:22,066 --> 00:16:23,734
was a walking time bomb.
399
00:16:23,859 --> 00:16:28,030
‐ But the track record in
Dallas County and nationwide
400
00:16:28,155 --> 00:16:30,866
in finding officers
guilty of murder
401
00:16:30,991 --> 00:16:32,535
is not very good.
402
00:16:32,576 --> 00:16:34,245
♪ ♪
403
00:16:38,958 --> 00:16:40,334
‐ There are threats
inside the car,
404
00:16:40,417 --> 00:16:42,002
and I had no other option
but to use lethal force.
405
00:16:42,044 --> 00:16:43,546
[rapid gunshots]
406
00:16:43,671 --> 00:16:46,173
‐ Former police officer
Roy Oliver's on trial
407
00:16:46,257 --> 00:16:47,174
for the shooting death
of Jordan Edwards.
408
00:16:47,258 --> 00:16:48,342
His justification?
409
00:16:48,425 --> 00:16:50,636
The Chevy Impala
Edwards was in
410
00:16:50,719 --> 00:16:54,431
veered dangerously toward his
patrol partner, Tyler Gross,
411
00:16:54,557 --> 00:16:56,892
after shots had been
fired nearby.
412
00:16:57,017 --> 00:16:58,936
Protecting his partner
from the threat,
413
00:16:59,061 --> 00:17:00,980
Oliver says,
prompted him to act.
414
00:17:01,063 --> 00:17:03,107
The problem for Oliver?
415
00:17:03,232 --> 00:17:04,984
Gross didn't feel that threat.
416
00:17:05,067 --> 00:17:07,152
‐ I was not in fear
at that point.
417
00:17:07,236 --> 00:17:09,196
[tense music]
418
00:17:09,280 --> 00:17:10,823
‐ As the trial wound down
419
00:17:10,906 --> 00:17:12,783
at the Frank Crowley
Courthouse,
420
00:17:12,908 --> 00:17:13,909
it all came down
421
00:17:14,034 --> 00:17:15,911
to one question for the jury:
422
00:17:16,036 --> 00:17:18,163
was Roy Oliver being reasonable
423
00:17:18,247 --> 00:17:20,040
defending his partner?
424
00:17:20,124 --> 00:17:21,208
Or had he gotten caught up
425
00:17:21,333 --> 00:17:22,918
in the violence of the moment
426
00:17:23,002 --> 00:17:26,255
and let loose with
a barrage of bullets,
427
00:17:26,380 --> 00:17:29,341
killing a 15‐year‐old
in the process?
428
00:17:29,425 --> 00:17:30,342
‐ Roy Oliver's defense team
429
00:17:30,467 --> 00:17:32,011
hoped jurors would understand
430
00:17:32,094 --> 00:17:33,804
this patrol cop's
point of view.
431
00:17:33,887 --> 00:17:35,639
In an unusual move,
432
00:17:35,723 --> 00:17:37,808
they had Oliver
stand in the courtroom
433
00:17:37,891 --> 00:17:39,393
before the jury box.
434
00:17:39,518 --> 00:17:40,311
♪ ♪
435
00:17:40,394 --> 00:17:43,063
‐ Strap on Roy Oliver's boots.
436
00:17:43,147 --> 00:17:44,523
You have to have in your mind
437
00:17:44,565 --> 00:17:47,067
that you're there
to protect the public,
438
00:17:47,192 --> 00:17:49,194
but most of all,
439
00:17:49,320 --> 00:17:51,572
your foremost duty
440
00:17:51,655 --> 00:17:53,032
is to your partner.
441
00:17:53,073 --> 00:17:56,201
‐ The defense
tried to paint Roy Oliver
442
00:17:56,285 --> 00:17:57,453
into a reasonable person
443
00:17:57,578 --> 00:18:00,164
in order
to justify his actions.
444
00:18:00,247 --> 00:18:04,043
‐ That vehicle was pointed
at Tyler Gross
445
00:18:04,168 --> 00:18:06,629
and it was a threat
to Tyler Gross
446
00:18:06,712 --> 00:18:10,841
and that is why Roy Oliver
reasonably made the decision
447
00:18:10,966 --> 00:18:12,509
that he had to make.
448
00:18:12,635 --> 00:18:13,636
It doesn't matter
449
00:18:13,719 --> 00:18:15,346
that looking back on it
in hindsight,
450
00:18:15,471 --> 00:18:17,806
we'd all make
a different decision now.
451
00:18:17,890 --> 00:18:19,058
We have to look at it
452
00:18:19,183 --> 00:18:21,727
how Roy Oliver
saw it at the time.
453
00:18:21,852 --> 00:18:23,354
Ladies and gentlemen,
454
00:18:23,479 --> 00:18:25,773
Roy Oliver should be found
not guilty.
455
00:18:25,856 --> 00:18:27,274
‐ If a layperson thought
456
00:18:27,358 --> 00:18:29,860
that he did
have to shoot his weapon
457
00:18:29,985 --> 00:18:31,528
in order to protect his partner
458
00:18:31,612 --> 00:18:33,405
from serious bodily injury
or death,
459
00:18:33,530 --> 00:18:35,282
then they could acquit him.
460
00:18:35,366 --> 00:18:36,825
‐ Anytime a case
goes to the jury,
461
00:18:36,909 --> 00:18:39,411
the gravity of the
decision‐making looms over
462
00:18:39,536 --> 00:18:41,205
the proceedings in the case.
463
00:18:41,246 --> 00:18:43,207
The trial had
a much higher profile
464
00:18:43,332 --> 00:18:44,875
given the interest
in police shootings
465
00:18:44,958 --> 00:18:46,293
of unarmed individuals.
466
00:18:46,418 --> 00:18:49,338
A lot of eyes were on this
Dallas County courtroom.
467
00:18:49,421 --> 00:18:50,547
♪ ♪
468
00:18:50,631 --> 00:18:52,424
‐ I know that
there is a chance
469
00:18:52,508 --> 00:18:54,259
that this police officer
could walk.
470
00:18:54,385 --> 00:18:56,011
And I know the devastation
471
00:18:56,136 --> 00:18:57,888
that it would have
on this family
472
00:18:57,971 --> 00:18:59,014
and this community.
473
00:18:59,098 --> 00:19:00,849
‐ Here comes this decision
474
00:19:00,933 --> 00:19:02,685
which reflects
475
00:19:02,810 --> 00:19:05,145
what has been going on
in so many cities
476
00:19:05,229 --> 00:19:07,731
about young, unarmed Black men
477
00:19:07,856 --> 00:19:09,733
being shot by white cops,
478
00:19:09,858 --> 00:19:12,194
and we all thought,
479
00:19:12,277 --> 00:19:14,863
"Are they really
gonna come back
480
00:19:14,947 --> 00:19:16,532
with a murder conviction?"
481
00:19:16,615 --> 00:19:17,866
♪ ♪
482
00:19:17,950 --> 00:19:19,284
‐ Mr. Gill, Mr. Oliver,
483
00:19:19,410 --> 00:19:20,744
Mr. Brissette, Mr. Lane,
484
00:19:20,828 --> 00:19:23,205
if you would please rise
for the reading of the verdict.
485
00:19:23,330 --> 00:19:25,374
‐ As a prosecutor,
particularly when you got
486
00:19:25,416 --> 00:19:26,875
the kind of victim that I had,
487
00:19:26,959 --> 00:19:29,420
you feel the weight
of the world on your shoulders.
488
00:19:29,503 --> 00:19:34,341
‐ This is cause number
F17‐18595‐V,
489
00:19:34,425 --> 00:19:36,510
the State of Texas
versus Roy Oliver.
490
00:19:36,593 --> 00:19:38,971
The verdict form
reads as follows...
491
00:19:39,054 --> 00:19:40,764
‐ You're worried to death
492
00:19:40,848 --> 00:19:43,350
that you're going
to let this kid down.
493
00:19:43,434 --> 00:19:45,561
‐ "We, the jury, unanimously
find the defendant
494
00:19:45,686 --> 00:19:48,522
guilty of murder
as charged in the indictment."
495
00:19:48,647 --> 00:19:50,232
♪ ♪
496
00:19:50,357 --> 00:19:52,651
‐ Finally we got justice.
497
00:19:52,735 --> 00:19:55,404
Roy Oliver was
not gonna get away
498
00:19:55,529 --> 00:19:59,658
with the murder of
15‐year‐old Jordan Edwards.
499
00:19:59,742 --> 00:20:03,495
‐ I think it's
unbelievably horrible
500
00:20:03,579 --> 00:20:05,706
that his life was taken away.
501
00:20:05,831 --> 00:20:08,751
I don't want this to be a
teaching point or something
502
00:20:08,876 --> 00:20:10,544
for other police officers
to learn about.
503
00:20:10,669 --> 00:20:13,255
I want it to have never
happened at all.
504
00:20:13,338 --> 00:20:15,007
‐ Did Roy Oliver
taking the witness stand
505
00:20:15,132 --> 00:20:16,508
benefit or hurt his case?
506
00:20:16,633 --> 00:20:19,344
Yes, he was
convicted of murder.
507
00:20:19,470 --> 00:20:20,804
But the sentence he received
508
00:20:20,888 --> 00:20:22,723
in the penalty phase indicated
509
00:20:22,848 --> 00:20:26,518
that this Dallas jury at least
considered his point of view.
510
00:20:26,602 --> 00:20:27,936
Prosecutors asked
for a sentence
511
00:20:28,061 --> 00:20:30,647
of 60 years behind bars.
512
00:20:30,731 --> 00:20:33,442
[keyboard clacking]
513
00:20:33,525 --> 00:20:36,320
The jury gave him 15.
514
00:20:36,403 --> 00:20:39,364
Defendants are never
forced to take the stand.
515
00:20:39,490 --> 00:20:41,992
But that decision
is likely the biggest one
516
00:20:42,075 --> 00:20:43,327
they ever make.
517
00:20:43,410 --> 00:20:46,246
For "Under Oath,"
I'm Dan Abrams.