Samuel Sam DuBose, a 43-year-old black man, was fatally shot by Ray Tensing, a University of Cincinnati police officer, on July 19, 2015. DuBose was unarmed and sitting in his car with his seat belt on during a traffic stop for not having a front license plate. Tensing claimed he was dragged by DuBose's car and shot him in self-defense, but body camera footage showed no evidence of DuBose dragging Tensing.
Tensing was indicted on charges of murder and voluntary manslaughter.
The first trial in November 2016 ended in a hung jury, and a retrial in May 2017 also ended in a hung jury. Eventually, the charges against Tensing were dismissed with prejudice. Despite the dismissal, Prosecutor Joe Deters maintained that Tensing should have been convicted for shooting DuBose without provocation.
The incident sparked protests and calls for justice, highlighting issues of police violence and racial disparities in law enforcement. DuBose was a rapper, music producer, entrepreneur, and motorcycle enthusiast, deeply loved by his family and community. His death became a significant case in the national conversation about police interactions with African-Americans.
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