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Black Man Accused Of Trying To Kill Cop Found Not Guilty
After two years, justice has been served in the case of a young Black man from Maryland who was wrongfully charged with the attempted murder of a police officer. Kevin Sneed has been found “not guilty,” but says his fight against the criminal justice system weighed heavily on his mind, causing depression and hopelessness.
NBC Washington reports:
His trouble began during a traffic stop. In a police report for the incident, a Prince George’s County Police officer said he stopped Sneed for a broken taillight and because there was a “robbery in the immediate vicinity the previous night.” He said Sneed accelerated during the stop.
The officer reported he jumped into the driver’s side window because he feared the driver had a gun. The officer’s report also said that after searching the vehicle, no guns or drugs were found.
But Sneed was charged with attempted murder of an officer.
Sneed suffered bruises and says he was assaulted by the officer who arrested him…
Eventually Prince George’s County State’s Attorney Aisha Braveboy reduced Sneed’s charges to second-degree assault and disorderly conduct and he was offered a plea with no jail time if he’d admit guilt, which Sneed considered for fear of possibly going to jail.
Instead of taking the plea, they went to trial. With the help of Black Lives Matter, Sneed’s mother Kema Harris was able to get him a better defense team.
Now, on to the good news…
After a two-day trial, a jury found Sneed not guilty on all charges Wednesday. The Maryland ACLU said Sneed had the kind of help too many defendants can’t access.
“People are forced to take these plea deals in which oftentimes they are pleading guilty to crimes they did not commit,” Jay Jimenez of ACLU said. Sneed said the outcome is a second chance.
“If you did not do anything wrong, fight for your life,” he said.
We are beyond happy for Sneed and his loved ones.