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Officer Acquitted in Unarmed Man's Shooting Death
21 Feb
Summary
- Jury found officer not guilty of voluntary manslaughter
- Shooting occurred after a five-minute high-speed chase
- Victim's family received a $1 million wrongful death settlement
A former South Carolina police officer was acquitted of voluntary manslaughter on Friday. The jury found Cassandra Dollard not guilty in connection with the February 2022 shooting death of Robert Junior Langley. The fatal encounter followed a high-speed chase that lasted over five minutes and reached speeds exceeding 100 mph.
Langley was shot in the chest after his vehicle crashed into a ditch. Dashboard camera footage captured the officer demanding Langley show his hands before she slipped and fired her weapon as he exited the car. Dollard stated she felt vulnerable after falling. Authorities had questioned the necessity of the chase for a minor traffic violation.
The victim's family was awarded a $1 million wrongful death settlement from the insurer of the Hemingway Police Department. Dollard had a nearly 30-year law enforcement career, having worked for multiple agencies.
