In the spring of 2017, the life of William 'Josh' Cole, a 26-year-old Black man from Lexington, Kentucky, was cut short. On the evening of May 22nd, a verbal dispute escalated into a fatal encounter that would leave a family grieving and a community searching for answers. The altercation, with a man named Chanse Robertson, ended with Cole being shot multiple times.
He was rushed to the University of Kentucky Medical Center but ultimately succumbed to his injuries.
The investigation that followed led to the arrest of Chanse Robertson, who was subsequently charged in connection with Cole's death. The legal process saw Robertson initially facing a murder charge. However, he later pleaded guilty to a reduced charge of second-degree manslaughter. This plea resulted in a six-year prison sentence, with credit for the more than 600 days he had already served. The resolution of the case brought a measure of legal closure, but for Cole's family, the sentence felt insufficient for the loss of a son, brother, and father of two.
The family of William 'Josh' Cole, including his mother Marita and brother Jordan, expressed their profound grief and disappointment with the outcome of the legal proceedings. They felt that the six-year sentence did not equate to justice for the life that was taken. His mother lamented the lack of cooperation from witnesses who were present on the night of the shooting, believing their silence contributed to the reduced charge and sentence. The case highlighted the lasting impact of gun violence on families and the broader Lexington community, a sentiment echoed by Cole's mother at a later event honoring homicide victims. His brother remembered him as a person with a pure heart who did good things for his community.
