Prosecutions in U.S. police shootings rise, convictions remain rare

Jeronimo Yanez joins a growing list of U.S. police officers charged in fatal on-duty shootings, but the rise in prosecutions doesn't guarantee he'll do time. Convicting officers of murder or manslaughter is extremely difficult, specialists in police misconduct say.

The charges against the 28-year-old St. Anthony police officer are unprecedented in recent Minnesota history. Nationally, of the 78 state and local officers charged since 2005 with murder or manslaughter after fatally shooting someone while on duty, just 27 have been convicted, according to Philip Stinson, a Bowling Green State University criminologist and former cop who tracks the cases. About 22 cases, including Yanez's, are pending.

http://www.startribune.com/prosecutions-in-u-s-police-shootings-rise-convictions-remain-rare/401582805/