Wait, what? Did a cop actually just get convicted for the murder of an unarmed black teen?

Well, not murder, voluntary manslaughter, but it’s something.

A Virginia jury found former Portsmouth, Va., Police Officer Stephen Rankin guilty of voluntary manslaughter. In April 2015 he shot and killed an unarmed black teen, 18-Year-Old William Chapman.

He was fired while awaiting trial. He had claimed that Chapman had resisted arrest, however there was conflicting details.

It was argued that nondeadly force could have been used (like in many cases!) and that Chapman had his hands up.

However the officer says that he had to shoot after a stun gun failed to stop the teen! He claimes he had tunnel vision, he feared for his life!

The original charge was first degree murder however the jury had the right for a lessor charge and it was downgraded to voluntary manslaughter.

More at ABC News and The Guardian. 

At the end of the day this is a conviction where it’s likely there should have been one! It’s a start and a tiny piece of good news against all the cops that seem to be getting away with murder, literally!

However Chapman and many other young men are dead because of police brutality. Chapman’s family will never recover from that.