Officer won't be charged in shooting that paralyzed Iowa man
IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — A white police officer will not be charged in a shooting that left an unarmed black motorist paralyzed and sparked protests in Iowa's second largest city, a prosecutor said Tuesday.
A grand jury declined to return an indictment against Cedar Rapids police officer Lucas Jones in the Nov. 1 shooting of Jerime Mitchell, Linn County Attorney Jerry Vander Sanden said, marking the second time since last year that Jones has been cleared after using deadly force.
The prosecutor said Jones was trying to defend himself against a confrontational Mitchell during a routine traffic stop.
The investigation revealed that Jones pulled over Mitchell near Coe College early on Nov. 1 because both light bulbs on his license plate were burned out.
A backpack in Mitchell's truck contained a pound of marijuana and text messages suggested he was on his way to deliver it when stopped, Vander Sanden said.