Nearly a dozen groups including Black Lives Matter Cincinnati are sponsoring a rally near the University of Cincinnati's College Conservatory of Music Wednesday. The 6 p.m. rally is set for two hours before FC Cincinnati plays the Chicago Fire in the U.S. Open Cup at Nippert Stadium.
A Facebook event page says the goal is to "tell both UC administration and the City of Cincinnati that we demand justice for Sam Dubose."
DuBose was shot and killed by Ray Tensing, a University of Cincinnati police officer at the time. Tensing's second trial on murder and voluntary manslaughter charges ended Friday in a hung jury. His first trial on the same charges also ended in a hung jury in November.
Jurors in the second trial told Hamilton County Judge Leslie Ghiz Friday they were "almost evenly split regarding our votes toward a final verdict" and couldn't find consensus. Ghiz then declared a second mistrial.
Tensing's attorney Stew Mathews tells WVXU it's his understanding the jury votes were "8 to 4 not guilty on murder; 7 to 5 not guilty on voluntary manslaughter."
Hamilton County Prosecutor Joe Deters says he won't announce anything about a possible third trial until the week of July 10. He could choose to retry Tensing on the same charges, lesser charges, or not at all. A decision must be made by the next court date, July 24.
The "Justice for Sam DuBose" public demonstration page calls for people to wear black and bring signs. "We must show and stand up for justice," the page says, calling the most recent mistrial a "grave injustice."
University of Cincinnati spokesman Greg Vehr says in a statement to WVXU, "Members of our campus and wider community are free to gather and express themselves. The university respects all viewpoints and will work to maintain a safe environment while respecting the constitutional rights of all to engage in individual and collective expression and discourse."
An FC Cincinnati spokeswoman referred any questions about the rally to university officials.
