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Why Are Criminal Charges Against Police Officers Who Kill Someone So Rare?

Another reason why it can be hard to prosecute officers? Both Farrell and Lane pointed out that juries tend to side with them.

“It is hard to convince a jury that a cop is criminal. They just don’t want to believe it,” Lane added.

Attorney Matthew Cron was part of the legal team that represented Jacquez’s estate after his death. Their research suggested Ashby’s conviction was likely the first time in at least 40 years that a Colorado police officer was convicted of murder.

“The fact that he was convicted by a jury of his peers is almost unheard of, not just in Colorado, but across the nation,” Cron said.

But recent cases involving deadly use of force have led to demonstrations and calls for charges against police.

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