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Killer pleads innocent
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A WHITE US policeman accused of killing an unarmed black man, which touched off three-night riots in Cincinnati, Ohio last April, pleaded innocent on Wednesday, reports said.
The 27-year-old officer, Stephen Roach, was released on US$2,000 bond after his lawyer Merlyn Shiverdecker filed written pleas to the charges of two misdemeanor.
Roach was indicted by a grand jury on Monday on charges of negligent homicide and obstructing official business in the April 7 shooting of Timothy Thomas.
Many black leaders have criticized that the charges are so lenient that they would only bring a maximum nine-month imprisonment.
A trial is expected late this year.
Thomas, 19, was shot to death when fleeing from police attempt to arrest him on minor charges including traffic offences. The incident sparked violence in the city, with dozens of people injured and 800 others arrested.
Fifteen blacks and no whites have died in confrontations with Cincinnati police since 1995. Blacks account for 43 per cent of the city's population of 330,000.
(SD-Agencies)
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