Judge Upholds Firing Of Cop Who Killed Tamir Rice
A judge has reportedly upheld an arbitrator’s decision that Cleveland police officer Timothy Loehmann who killed 12-year-old Tamir Rice should be fired for omissions on his job application.
According to WDTN, Cuyahoga County Judge Joseph Russo issued the ruling on Wednesday (December 18). Loehmann killed Rice outside of a Cleveland recreation center in November 2014.
Loehmann was cleared of wrongdoing in the tragic incident but was fired in May 2017 for failing to disclose he’d been previously forced out by another police department. According to a memo sent by Deputy Chief Jim Polak of the Independence Police Department to the city of Independence, Ohio’s human resources manager, Loehmann was visibly “distracted and weepy” during a gun range training course at his previous job and could not follow simple directions or communicate clearly.
The Cleveland Police Patrolmen’s Association called Judge Russo’s ruling a “political decision,” according to WDTN.
