Let the Roits Begin

Experts testify that woman was on knees when Lima officer fired gun
Posted by Associated Press July 31, 2008 10:45AM
Categories: Crime
Lima, Ohio -- A woman shot and killed by a police officer during a drug raid was likely on her knees and complying with a SWAT team's orders to get down when she was hit in the neck and chest, two experts testified Wednesday at the officer's trial.

A forensic pathologist and firearms expert each said that bullet wounds indicate that Tarika Wilson, 26, wasn't standing.

Sgt. Joseph Chavalia has pleaded not guilty to misdemeanor counts of negligent homicide and negligent assault. He faces up to eight months in jail if convicted of both counts.

Prosecutors rested their case Wednesday. Defense testimony will begin today.


The shooting during a drug raid in January set off protests and debate about race relations in the city, where one in four residents is black.

Wilson, who was black, was unarmed and holding her 1-year-old son when she was shot. The boy also was hit and had a finger amputated.

She was partially behind a door in an upstairs bedroom with her five other children when officers downstairs began shooting at two pit bulls.

Chavalia, who is white, told another officer that he thought the shots were coming from the bedroom.

"I said, 'Joe, what happened?' " testified Lt. Chip Protsman, the commander of the SWAT team. "He said, 'They were firing at me from the bedroom, and I shot back.' "

Protsman said he found Chavalia alone in the middle of the hallway while other officers were running into the bedroom.

Chavalia was coming up a stairway when he shot Wilson.

Eleven officers raided the house on Jan. 4 looking for her boyfriend, Anthony Terry. He was arrested and pleaded guilty in March to charges of drug trafficking.

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http://blog.cleveland.com/metro/2008/07/experts_say_woman_was_on_knees.html

Let the roits begin!

She was partially behind a door so the cop probably didn't know what color she was. Race is not an issue here. He thought he was being shot at and fired back. He should have identified his target but she shouldn't have been around a drug dealer with her kids either. I'm sure Jesse Jackson is on his way over to Lima to start trouble. Moral of the story ... don't hang out with drug dealers.

I just thought the story would give way to racial tension.

It's been awful quiet. I thought there would be something happen for sure.