Reserve deputy charged with manslaughter in shooting death

Prosecutors have charged a volunteer law enforcement officer in the death of a man who was fatally shot as he lay on the ground at the officer's feet.

The sheriff's office has said Robert Bates, a 73-year-old insurance executive who was volunteering on an undercover operation in Oklahoma, mistakenly pulled out his handgun instead of his stun gun and shot the suspect as he struggled with deputies.

Bates, who is white, was charged yesterday with second-degree manslaughter involving "culpable negligence" for the April 2 death of Eric Harris, 44, who was black. If convicted, he could face up to four years in prison.
 

It was the latest fatal shooting by a police officer to draw national attention after months of investigations and protests of other deaths in Ferguson, Missouri, New York City, South Carolina and elsewhere.

Many of the cases have stirred debate about the treatment of black men and boys by US law enforcement agencies. But at a news conference yesterday, Andre Harris, the Oklahoma victim's brother, said he does not believe that shooting was racially motivated.

The Oklahoma case, however, has raised questions about the use of volunteer officers to supplement full-time police.

A video of the incident shot by a deputy with a sunglass camera and released Friday at the request of the victim's family, shows a deputy chase and tackle Harris, who they said tried to sell an illegal gun to an undercover officer.

As the deputy subdues Harris on the ground, a gunshot rings out and a man says: "Oh, I shot him. I'm sorry."

Harris screams: "He shot me. Oh, my God," and a deputy replies: "You f---ing ran. Shut the f--- up."

When Harris says he's losing his breath, a deputy replies, "F--- your breath."

Harris was treated by medics at the scene and died in a hospital in the city of Tulsa.

The family said in a statement that it was "saddened, shocked, confused and disturbed."

"Perhaps the most disturbing aspect of all of this is the inhumane and malicious treatment of Eric after he was shot," the family wrote. "These deputies treated Eric as less than human. They treated Eric as if his life had no value."

A telephone message left yesterday with Bates' attorney, Scott Woods, was not immediately returned.

The use of reserve officers is commonplace across Oklahoma and much of the nation. Cities and counties often turn to them for extra manpower because of a lack of resources and tight budgets. They are sometimes used to free up regular officers to concentrate on high-priority duties.