Latest news with #AdamCoy
Yahoo
6 hours ago
- Yahoo
Former Ohio police officer sentenced for murder of unarmed Black man
A former Ohio police officer was sentenced to 15 years to life in prison on Monday after being convicted of murdering an unarmed Black man in December 2020. Andre Hill, 47, was holding a cellphone and keys when Adam Coy, who is white, shot him four times in a Columbus garage. The ex-cop, who is being treated for Hodgkin lymphoma, told the court during his sentencing hearing Monday he will appeal the verdict. 'I feel my actions were justified,' he said. 'I reacted the same way I had in hundreds of training scenarios. I drew and fired my weapon to stop a threat, protect myself and my partner." Hill came out of the garage of a friend's house holding up a cellphone in his left hand seconds before he was fatally shot, police body camera footage showed. His right hand was not visible. It took almost 10 minutes for officers to render aid. Coy said during his trial he thought Hill was holding a silver revolver and feared for his life. 'I thought I was going to die,' he told jurors. It was only after he rolled over Hill's body and saw the keys that he realized there was no gun, according to Coy. 'I knew at that point I made a mistake. I was horrified,' he said. Prosecutors argued Hill followed police orders and was never a threat to Coy. Hill's sisters and ex-wife described him Monday as a gentle man who had never known a stranger. His grandchildren called him 'Big Daddy." 'Whether this man gets a life sentence, 15 years, 20 years, will not change the fact or bring him back,' Hill's daughter Karissa told the sentencing judge, per WBNS. Coy was fired after the shooting. He had a lengthy history of citizen complaints, although most were declared unfounded. Weeks later, the mayor forced out the police chief after a series of fatal police shootings of Black people in the district. Columbus later reached a $10 million settlement with Hill's family, and the city passed a law requiring police to give immediate medical attention to injured suspects. Civil rights attorney Ben Crump, who had represented the Hill family, reacted to the sentencing on Monday, writing on X: 'My heart is with Andre's family as they face a life without their beloved Andre.' Hill's shooting came at a time of heightened scrutiny of police violence against Black Americans. Black Lives Matter protests, some of which turned violent, erupted across the country in the spring of 2020 when George Floyd, a 46-year-old Black man, died in Minneapolis after a white police officer, Derek Chauvin, knelt on his neck. Chauvin was sentenced to 21 years in prison for Floyd's death. Another death that fueled outrage was that of Breonna Taylor. The 26-year-old was shot to death by police in her Louisville, Kentucky, apartment during a botched raid in March 2020. Ex-Louisville police officer Brett Hankison, who was found guilty of violating Taylor's civil rights after blindly shooting into her apartment, was sentenced to nearly three years in prison earlier this month. The Justice Department sought a one-day prison sentence, according to a memo seen by The Washington Post. None of Hankison's bullets hit Taylor. The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Yahoo
7 hours ago
- Yahoo
Ex-Columbus police officer who killed Andre Hill receives prison sentence
COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) — A former Columbus police officer received his prison sentence nearly five years since he shot and killed an unarmed man. Adam Coy, 48, was sentenced Monday to 15 years to life in prison in Franklin County Common Pleas Court. He will be eligible for parole after serving 15 years for murder, reckless homicide, and felonious assault in the death of Andre Hill, 47. Attorneys for Coy said in the courtroom on Monday that he will appeal the verdict on the grounds that he was acting within his training as a police officer who perceived a threat. Judge Stephen McIntosh also ordered that Coy register as a violent offender. Flooding threatens dog boarder in Fairfield County 'I reacted the same way I had in hundreds of training scenarios,' Coy said at the hearing. 'I drew and fired my weapon to stop a threat to protect myself and my partner. … It weighs on me heavily that a family lost a loved one. My heart goes out to them.' Family members of Hill also spoke. 'He was the heart and soul of our family,' said Hill's sister, Shawna Barnett. 'He was thoughtful, loving, funny and full of life. He was a son, father, brother, a man deeply loved by all who truly knew him. He was the kind of person who made people feel seen and safe.' Coy will receive credit for 247 days already served. Coy was convicted in November after a two-week trial and about 12 hours of deliberation. The trial had been postponed multiple times, including in April 2023 after Coy was diagnosed with classical Hodgkin lymphoma. The trial was originally scheduled for March 2022. Hill was killed on Dec. 22, 2020, at about 1:50 a.m., when Coy shot him four times while responding to a nonemergency suspicious vehicle call. Coy fired at Hill after he began exiting a garage at Coy's request, with a lit phone screen held up in his left hand and his right hand at his side, not clearly visible due to a parked car. Coy testified he believed Hill had a silver revolver in his right hand, which ended up being a set of keys. 'In those trainings, I was taught to respond to a threat without hesitation because action beats reaction. On the night in question, I did just that,' Coy said Monday. 'I feel my actions were justified within the reasonable officer condition, the standard as set forth by case law. I disagree with the jury's decision because I believe they did not understand the response of police officers trained to perform.' Coy did not activate his body camera until after the shooting, which preserved only the previous 60 seconds of video with no audio. From there, video and audio continued, and Coy can be seen not offering immediate medical aid to Hill, who later died at a hospital. Fraternal Order of Police Capital City Lodge 9 President Brian Steel called the court's ruling 'deeply flawed' and supports Coy's appeal. 'Today's sentencing of Adam Coy marks yet another painful chapter in the tragedy of Andre Hill's death — a tragedy that has reverberated through families across our entire community,' Steel said in a statement. 'While this incident was a heart-rending mistake, it wasn't murder. The Fraternal Order of Police continues to stand with Adam.' Steel said the appeal matters not just to him, but to every officer who 'acts in good faith under department training and protocols.' Franklin County Prosecutor Shayla Favor held a press conference following the sentencing. She called this a big day for the county and rebuilding trust in law enforcement. 'When that power is greatly misused, accountability is not an option. It is essential,' Favor said. In February, Coy filed a motion for a new trial. Arguments were heard in April, but McIntosh denied the motion on June 30. Coy's attorneys expect the appeals process to take between six months to a year. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Toronto Sun
7 hours ago
- Toronto Sun
Ex-officer who mistook Black man's keys and phone for gun gets 15 years to life for murder
Former Columbus officer Adam Coy shot Andre Hill four times in a garage in December 2020 Published Jul 28, 2025 • 2 minute read This image from video provided by WSYX/WTTE shows former Columbus police officer Adam Coy, who is accused of fatally shooting Andre Hill, a Black man who was holding a cell phone and keys, during his trial, Monday, Oct. 28, 2024, in Columbus, Ohio. (WSYX/WTTE via AP, File) AP COLUMBUS, Ohio — A former Ohio police officer convicted of murder in the shooting of Andre Hill, a Black man who was holding a cellphone and keys when he was killed, was given a mandatory sentence Monday of 15 years to life. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Don't have an account? Create Account Former Columbus officer Adam Coy shot Hill four times in a garage in December 2020, as the country reckoned with a series of police killings of Black men, women and children. He told jurors that he feared for his life because he thought Hill was holding a silver revolver. Coy, who is being treated for Hodgkin lymphoma, told the court Monday he plans to appeal the verdict. 'I feel my actions were justified,' Coy said. 'I reacted the same way I had in hundreds of training scenarios. I drew and fired my weapon to stop a threat, protect myself and my partner.' Prosecutors said Hill followed police commands and was never a threat to Coy. In victim impact statements Monday, Hill's sisters and ex-wife described the 47-year-old as a gentle man who had never met a stranger. His grandchildren called him 'Big Daddy.' This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Police body camera footage showed Hill coming out of the garage of a friend's house holding up a cellphone in his left hand, his right hand not visible, seconds before he was fatally shot. Almost 10 minutes passed before officers at the scene rendered aid. Coy, who was fired afterward, had a lengthy history of citizen complaints, although most were declared unfounded. Weeks later, the mayor forced out the police chief after a series of fatal police shootings of Black people. Columbus later reached a $10 million settlement with Hill's family, and the city passed a law requiring police to give immediate medical attention to injured suspects. The local Fraternal Order of Police chapter said it would continue to support Coy, for both his sake and that of every officer who 'acts in good faith' under department protocols. 'While this incident was a heart-rending mistake, it wasn't murder,' said Brian Steel, president of FOP Capital City Lodge 9. MLB Celebrity Toronto & GTA Golf World
The Guardian
10 hours ago
- The Guardian
Ohio ex-police officer sentenced to 15 years to life in 2020 killing of Andre Hill
A former Ohio police officer convicted of murder in the shooting of Andre Hill, a Black man who was holding a cellphone and keys when he was killed, was given a mandatory sentence on Monday of 15 years to life. Former Columbus officer Adam Coy shot Hill four times in a garage in December 2020, as the country reckoned with a series of police killings of Black men, women and children. He told jurors that he feared for his life because he thought Hill was holding a silver revolver. Coy, who is being treated for Hodgkin's lymphoma, told the court on Monday he planned to appeal against the verdict. 'I feel my actions were justified,' Coy said. 'I reacted the same way I had in hundreds of training scenarios. I drew and fired my weapon to stop a threat, protect myself and my partner.' Prosecutors said Hill followed police commands and was never a threat to Coy. In victim impact statements on Monday, Hill's sisters and ex-wife described the 47-year-old as a gentle man who had never met a stranger. His grandchildren called him 'big daddy'. Police body-camera footage showed Hill coming out of the garage of a friend's house holding up a cellphone in his left hand, his right hand not visible, seconds before he was fatally shot. Almost 10 minutes passed before officers at the scene rendered aid. Coy, who was fired afterward, had a lengthy history of citizen complaints, although most were declared unfounded. Weeks later, the mayor forced out the police chief after a series of fatal police shootings of Black people. Columbus later reached a $10m settlement with Hill's family, and the city passed a law requiring police to give immediate medical attention to injured suspects.
The Guardian
16 hours ago
- The Guardian
Ohio ex-police officer sentenced to 15 years to life in 2020 killing of Andre Hill
A former Ohio police officer convicted of murder in the shooting of Andre Hill, a Black man who was holding a cellphone and keys when he was killed, was given a mandatory sentence Monday of 15 years to life. Former Columbus officer Adam Coy shot Hill four times in a garage in December 2020, as the country reckoned with a series of police killings of Black men, women and children. He told jurors that he feared for his life because he thought Hill was holding a silver revolver. Coy, who is being treated for Hodgkin lymphoma, told the court Monday he plans to appeal against the verdict. 'I feel my actions were justified,' Coy said. 'I reacted the same way I had in hundreds of training scenarios. I drew and fired my weapon to stop a threat, protect myself and my partner.' Prosecutors said Hill followed police commands and was never a threat to Coy. In victim impact statements Monday, Hill's sisters and ex-wife described the 47-year-old as a gentle man who had never met a stranger. His grandchildren called him 'big daddy'. Police body camera footage showed Hill coming out of the garage of a friend's house holding up a cellphone in his left hand, his right hand not visible, seconds before he was fatally shot. Almost 10 minutes passed before officers at the scene rendered aid. Coy, who was fired afterward, had a lengthy history of citizen complaints, although most were declared unfounded. Weeks later, the mayor forced out the police chief after a series of fatal police shootings of Black people. Columbus later reached a $10m settlement with Hill's family, and the city passed a law requiring police to give immediate medical attention to injured suspects.
