A jury in Oklahoma found a sheriff’s deputy guilty of second-degree manslaughter Wednesday in the fatal shooting of an unarmed suspect.
Robert Bates, an ex-volunteer reserve sheriff deputy for the Tulsa County Sheriff’s Office, never denied killing Eric Courtney Harris last year.
Eric Courtney Harris, 44, was “inadvertently” shot in the back by Tulsa County, Oklahoma, Reserve Deputy Robert Bates after an undercover weapons sting on April 2, 2015. Bates announced he was going to deploy his Taser, but actually shot Eric Courtney Harris in the back with a handgun.
Bates, 74, has said he meant to use his Taser stun gun, not his revolver, on the suspect who’d been tackled by other deputies and was being held on the ground.
The jury recommended Bates be sentenced to four years imprisonment. Preliminary sentencing is set for May 31. After the verdict, Bates was escorted out of the courtroom by two deputies.
Tulsa County, Oklahoma Reserve Deputy Robert Bates, 73, faces manslaughter charges following an April 2, 2015, incident where Bates announced he was going to deploy his Taser, but actually shot Eric Courtney Harris in the back with a handgun.
In closing argument to the jury, defense lawyer Clark Brewster said Bates should be be thanked for trying to help his fellow deputies. He displayed the stun gun and Bates’ pistol and showed how they were similar size and weight.
“He got out of his vehicle to man up and help,” Brewster said. “I truly believe you will find this was an accident driven to this point by the actions of Mr. Harris.”
Prosecutor John David Luton told the jury Bates was nodding off in his car prior to the arrest and that none of the other officers drew the wrong weapon that day.
“Bob Bates didn’t act with usual and ordinary care,” Luton said in his closing argument. “He also didn’t do what a reasonable person would do under similar circumstances. … Eric Harris deserved to be chased, he deserved to be tackled, he deserved to be arrested. He did not deserve to be killed by reserve deputy Bob Bates.”
