Robbie Tolan shooting incident

The Robbie Tolan shooting incident took place in the Bellaire, Texas, United States on December 31, 2008, when 10-year Bellaire police veteran, Jeffery Cotton, shot unarmed Robbie Tolan, son of famed baseball player, Bobby Tolan, in his parent's drive way. Tolan sustained serious injuries in the shooting and charges were pressed against Cotton. On May 11, 2010 a jury reached a verdict of not guilty and Cotton was acquitted much to the dismay of minority leaders and critics around the country who continue to cite the case as an example of racial profiling and institutional racism.

Background

Robert Tolan (born June 15, 1985) is the son of World Champion baseball player Bobby Tolan of the St. Louis Cardinals and the Cincinatti Reds. He, himself, plays professional baseball for the Washington Nationals organization. Before the incident, he last played for the Bay Area Toros. Robbie was shot during Cotton's carrying out of an investigation, suspecting Tolan to be driving a stolen vehicle; however, the vehicle turned out to belong to Tolan.

Shooting incident

Around 2:00 AM, on December 31, 2008, Robbie Tolan and his cousin were confronted in their driveway, in the prominent white area of Bellaire, Texas by Bellaire, Texas police officers who suspected that they young men were driving a stolen vehicle. According to relatives, the two young men were returning from a late night run to Jack in the Box. Tolan's cousin, Anthony Cooper reported that the police officers emerged from the darkness pointing a flashlight and gun at them. The officer reportedly commanded them to stop before announcing his status as a Police officer. After the officer ordered them to get on the ground, the parents came outside to attend to the unidentified noise. Robbie Tolan and other family members report that the altercation between Robbie Tolan and Officer Cotton ensued after Cotton pushed Tolan's mother up against the way. Reacting in disbelief and anger, Robbie got up from the group where he had been laying and moved toward the aggressing policeman. It was then that Cotton turned and fired a shot into the chest of Robbie Tolan, sending the bullet through his lung and lodging it into his liver, where it settled and threatened his life. Officer Cooper defended himself stating that he thought Tolan was reaching for a weapon and reacted quickly in what he thought was self-defense. He then searched Tolan who was on the ground and found no weapon on his person. The Bellaire, Texaspolice department called the shooting tragic and put Officer Cooper on administrative leave, while stridently denying that any allegation of racial profiling would be conceded by the Police Department.

Trial and acquittal on charges

The Harris County district attorney's office pressed charges against Jeffery Cotton, for aggravated assault by a public servant in the matter of the shooting of Robbie Tolan, claiming that he neglected the basic safety procedures before shooting Tolan. The case involved discussion of racial profiling and racial bias on the part of Jeffery Cotton (a white male) who shot Robbie Talon (a black male); two of the jury's 9 women were black and the rest of the jury were white males. Cotton was freed on $20,000 dollar bond while the case was pending. On May 11, 2010 a jury reached a verdict of not guilty and Cotton was acquitted much to the dismay of minority leaders and critics around the country who continue to cite the case as an example of racial profiling and institutional racism. Pursuant to the allegations of racial bias, profiling, and discrimination, a civil suit was filed against Jeffery Cotton and the City of Bellaire, Texas. After the acquittal of Officer Cotton, African American leaders and activists protested outside of the Police Department for what they perceived to be a classic case of racial bias and injustice.