Prosecutors clear white officer in Jacob Blake shooting

Prosecutors clear white officer in Jacob Blake shooting

[NFA] Prosecutors on Tuesday cleared a white police officer in the Aug.

23 shooting of Black man Jacob Blake in Kenosha, Wisconsin, an incident that touched off deadly street protests and inflamed racial tensions in the United States.

Freddie Joyner has more.

Graveley: "It is my decision now that I announced today before you that no Kenosha law enforcement officer in this case will be charged with any criminal offense..." Prosecutors on Tuesday cleared a white police officer in the August 23rd shooting of Jacob Blake - a Black man in Kenosha, Wisconsin - in an incident that touched off deadly street protests and inflamed racial tensions throughout the United States.

The decision was announced by Kenosha County District Attorney Michael Graveley: "...this case is really all about self-defense, and can it be proven that it does not exist?

It is really evidence about the perspective of Officer Shesky.

What is his knowledge at each moment and what does a reasonable officer do at each decision point?

Those would be the things that would be primary.

And almost none of those things are answered by the deeply disturbing video that we have all seen." During a police intervention in a domestic dispute that was captured on cellphone video, Sheskey shot at Blake's back seven times from close range as Blake opened the door of his car, striking him four times and paralyzing him from the waist down.

Officials said there was a knife inside Blake's car, and Graveley said Sheskey had the right to self-defense.

Earlier Tuesday, Kyle Rittenhouse - the teenager charged with fatally shooting two men and wounding a third at an August demonstration in Kenosha - sparked by Blake's shooting - pled 'not guilty' to first-degree reckless homicide and five other criminal counts.

Mark Richards: "…prepared to enter all not guilty pleas to all charges contained therein…" 18-year-old Rittenhouse and his lawyer, Mark Richards, appeared before a judge via Zoom.

Rittenhouse was freed from jail in November after his attorneys posted his $2 million bond.

Jury selection for Rittenhouse's trial in Kenosha is scheduled to begin on March 29.

Lawyers say Rittenhouse acted in self defense when he opened fire with a rifle on August 25 of last year.