Timothy Thomas, 19, who was unarmed, was the 15th Black man killed by Cincinnati police since 1995. His death touched off large protests here, especially by outraged youth in the Over-the-Rhine neighborhood where the shooting took place, and a massive turnout that practically took over a Cincinnati City Council meeting shortly after the killing.

In response to the protests, city officials declared a state of emergency, imposing a citywide curfew and occupying the neighborhood with city and state police in full riot gear. The cops fired "beanbag" bullets that injured dozens, and arrested more than 60 people for "rioting" and more than 800 for curfew violations.

Daily and then weekly demonstrations continued into the summer. The protests forced the cancellation of some major city events, while putting its stamp on other events. City officials worked hard to appear as if they were responding by establishing new "race relations" groups, calling for a federal investigation of police practices, and turning to the FBI to investigate an unprovoked cop beanbag attack on peaceful protesters after the funeral for Timothy Thomas.

Hamilton County municipal judge Winkler blamed the victim in his ruling, asserting, "The shooting was a split-second reaction to a very dangerous situation created by Timothy Thomas that, under all the facts and circumstances heard at trial, was a reasonable reaction on the part of Police Officer Roach to the contact between himself and Timothy Thomas in a dark Cincinnati alley."

In a statement to the Cincinnati Enquirer, Rev. Damon Lynch III, a leader of the Cincinnati Black United Front, said, "The officer clearly took a man's life unjustifiably, and now he walks.... This sets us back before April. I'm just totally fed up. All this talk of healing and all that, it's rhetoric.... There is no serious effort to heal. This community proves it day in and day out."

About 150 protesters went to the afternoon City Council meeting to voice their anger. The Black United Front organized a community protest walk the night of the verdict. There was sporadic rock throwing and a few trash bin fires.

Cincinnati mayor Charles Luken responded to the widespread outrage by reimposing the state of emergency and a 11:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m. curfew. In face of opposition, city officials quickly retreated from these two measures within 36 hours, however.

While Roach was the first to be tried, two other officers, Robert Jorg and Patrick Caton, are facing criminal charges for the asphyxiation death of Roger Owensby Jr., who died in police custody November 7. Jorg is the first cop to face felony charges of involuntary manslaughter. Caton faces misdemeanor assault charges.

T.J. Brown, an activist in the Cincinnati Black United Front and member of United Auto Workers Local 647, said in an interview, "In light of the attack on the World Trade Center, they want to include Blacks in the 'United we stand against terrorism' campaign. But at the same time, they exclude us from justice in our own cities."  
 
 
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