The two police officers who shot and killed 17-year-old Jessica Hernandez last January have just been ruled “legally justified,” in their actions according to Denver District Attorney Mitch Morrissey.
Morrissey says that as a result of his findings there will be no criminal charges in this case. The shooting was ruled unequivocally “justified” and “defensive” in nature.
Young Jessica Hernandez was fatally shot back on January 26, when she was driving with friends in an alley in a Honda Civic that had been reported stolen the night before.
Officer Gabriel Jordan testified he was “about to be” trapped between the car and the fence. But the recordings of this incident have proven otherwise. In fact, it has been demonstrated that he fired as the car went past. None of that mattered to Morrissey.
Another officer on the scene, Officer Daniel Greene shot at the teens at well.
“The facts show this was a defensive shooting by both officers,” Morrissey contended in his 44-page letter.
That letter was penned to Denver Police Chief Robert White.
“Their decisions to shoot Ms. Hernandez were justifiable in light of the manner in which she drove the car in close and dangerous proximity to them, threatening the life of Officer Jordan who had little room to avoid the car,” it continued.
DA clears cops in shooting of Jessica Hernandez http://t.co/IhK9nQtgXc pic.twitter.com/yZyTMSETLF
— 7NEWS Denver Channel (@DenverChannel) June 5, 2015
“I know this shooting has affected the Denver community and that the death of this young woman will forever impact her mother and father, family members and friends,” Morrissey claimed. “I have met with the parents of Ms. Hernandez and have expressed my sympathy to them for their tragic loss.”
That didn’t change the fact that he backed the officers in this case and supported their mowing down Hernandez.
Cops keep getting away with murder. DA clears cops in shooting of #JessicaHernandez #acab http://t.co/gvbc8WotZM
— Peaceful Streets (@PeacefulStreets) June 5, 2015
Nathan Woodliff-Stanley, the executive director of the ACLU of Colorado, said that Morrissey’s decision is nothing more than a “disturbingly predictable pattern” whereby DAs refuse to indict cops who kill. He questioned Morrissey’s objectivity.
“We’re sickened and saddened by the decision to exonerate the officers,” Lisa Calderon, co-chair of the Colorado Latino Forum’s Denver chapter explained “But we’re not surprised.”
Protesters have continuously picketed the police headquarters on several occasions.