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Faith Community Wants Quick Decision On Tensing Retrial

Bill Rinehart
/
WVXU

A coalition of Cincinnati religious leaders wants a retrial of Ray Tensing.

A jury could not reach a unanimous decision on the charges against the former UC police officer on Saturday.  Bishop Bobby Hilton says he wants to know by next Monday if the case will be retried.

"We are crying for peace," Hilton says. "We want our city to remain at peace. But we do declare we are not the model for the nation until our criminal justice system does what is right." 

Tensing was charged with murder and voluntary manslaughter in the shooting death of Sam DuBose during an off-campus traffic stop.  Prosecutor Joe Deters said he hoped to have a decision by November 28.

Hilton says he doesn't think the jury understood things clearly enough.

"So we're asking the prosecutors to make another effort," Hilton says. "Make an extra effort. Apparently they have to drive some points home a little stronger and make sure the jury understands what happens and understands the law."

Hilton says the coalition will honor the family's wishes about keeping the original charges intact for a second trial.

Pastor Lesley Jones with the Interdenominational Ministerial Alliance says the coalition is asking people to put pressure on the prosecutor's office to return a decision quickly.

"If that means that every day we have to have a contingency to be present here in front of the prosecutor's office, that's what we need," Jones says.

"We saw one of the greatest displays of peace and coming together on Saturday with a protest that went through the streets of Cincinnati and hopefully that sent a message that we are able to be a peaceful people," Jones says. 

But she wondered how long people would be able to struggle without receiving justice.

Bill Rinehart started his radio career as a disc jockey in 1990. In 1994, he made the jump into journalism and has been reporting and delivering news on the radio ever since.