Stay up to date with notifications from The Independent

Notifications can be managed in browser preferences.

Samuel DuBose: University of Cincinnati pays $5.3m to family of unarmed black man killed by police officer

The settlement also includes free university tuition to each of the victim's 12 children

Andrew Buncombe
New York
Monday 18 January 2016 20:08 GMT
Comments
Samuel DuBose was shot dead after failing to hand over his driving licence
Samuel DuBose was shot dead after failing to hand over his driving licence (AP)

Your support helps us to tell the story

This election is still a dead heat, according to most polls. In a fight with such wafer-thin margins, we need reporters on the ground talking to the people Trump and Harris are courting. Your support allows us to keep sending journalists to the story.

The Independent is trusted by 27 million Americans from across the entire political spectrum every month. Unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock you out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. But quality journalism must still be paid for.

Help us keep bring these critical stories to light. Your support makes all the difference.

A university has paid out $5.3m to the family of an unarmed black man who was shot and killed by a campus police officer who pulled him over for missing a licence plate.

In a deal announced on Monday by the University of Cincinnati, the family of Samuel DuBose will receive a $4.85m payment and each of his 12 children will receive free undergraduate tuition.

Mr DuBose, 43, was shot and killed behind the wheel of his car on July 19 after Officer Ray Tensing stopped him near the campus for missing a front license plate, which is required by Ohio law, the Associated Press reported. Mr Tensing was charged with murder and has pleaded not guilty.


Terina Allen, Mr DuBose’s sister, said the 43-year-old's death was not necessary

 Terina Allen, Mr DuBose’s sister, said the 43-year-old's death was not necessary
 (AP)

“This did not need to happen, and we need to make sure this doesn’t happen to another family,” said Terina Allen, Mr DuBose’s sister.

“And if we have that memorial, maybe that makes people stop and say wow, and maybe it won’t happen again.”

School President Santa Ono said in a statement that the college wanted to extend its apology to the family.

“This agreement is also part of the healing process not only for the family but also for our university and Cincinnati communities,” it said

Officer Ray Tensing has been charged with murder
Officer Ray Tensing has been charged with murder (AP)

Mr Tensing said that after he stopped the car, Mr DuBose refused to provide a driver's license and get out.

A struggle ensued as Mr DuBose tried to drive away, and Mr Tensing said he fired because he feared being dragged under the car, said his lawyer, Stewart Matthews. A hearing is set to begin on February 11.

The shooting occurred during heightened scrutiny across the United States of police treatment of blacks, after a string of police-inflicted deaths from Ferguson, Missouri, to Chicago sparked sometimes-violent protests over the past year and a half.

Mark OMara, a civil rights lawyer, representing Mr DuBose’s family, said the family hoped the tragedy can be a springboard to improving relations between police and the community so it doesn't happen again.

“We have to have a discourse on how do we make our cops better cops,” he said. “And the flipside to that coin is, we have to figure out how to better interact with cops.”

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Comments

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in