A third night of protests ensued on Sunday since the acquittal of a white police officer in St. Louis for the killing of a black suspect. The St. Louis judge found former officer Jason Stockley not guilty of first-degree murder for the 2011 shooting of Anthony Lamar Smith. St. Louis Circuit Judge Timothy Wilson said, "This Court, in conscience, cannot say that the State has proven every element of murder beyond a reasonable doubt, or that the State has proven beyond a reasonable doubt that the defendant did not act in self-defense."
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Since Stockley's acquittal on Friday, protesters have gathered in largely non-violent droves during the day but at night they are allegedly vandalizing property. The unrest has resulted in dozens of arrests Sunday night after crowds failed to obey police orders to disperse. The victim, Anthony Lamar Smith, had a young son on the way when he died. Upset protesters say that Smith was needlessly murdered and prosecutors claim that Stockley planted a revolver in Smith's car and uttered the words "I am going to kill this m*ther f***er, don't you know it?" It is difficult to make out Stockley's exact words in the video:
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The video showing the violent encounter between police officer Jason Stockley and Anthony Lamar Smith. A second officer is present with Stockley who is driving the police SUV when they try to conduct a traffic stop on Smith. The two officers pull in behind Smith's parked car but he quickly slams it in reverse while the officers approach on either side of his car hitting the police SUV in the process. Stockley is nearly ran over by the fleeing suspect and that is when he opens fire with his department issued handgun. A high speed pursuit follows and eventually Smith succumbs to gunshot wounds and is apprehended.
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Source: http://www.wilx.com/content/news/Dozens-arrested-after-St-Louis-vandalism-445247563.html
