(DOVER, Del.)- After 20 hours of deliberation a jury found Dover officer Thomas Webster IV not guilty of second and third degree assault in court Tuesday.
He was facing a possible second and third degree assault charge for kicking Lateef Dickerson in the head breaking his jaw on August 24, 2013.
Many community members waited patiently for hours on this verdict, and many went home disappointed.
"I think the verdict is unjust," Mary Fleming said. "We treat dogs better than we treat people."
Extra security lined the courtroom as the jury came forward to make their final statement. However, the mood stayed somber and peaceful the entire afternoon.
Delaware NAACP representative Lamar Gunn said the community is not happy with the results of the trial.
"This sets our community backwards," Gunn said. "This just shows how much work we have to continue to do in this community. Some of it is just starting."
Prosecuting Attorney Mark Denny said the words "not guilty" are not the ones he was hoping to hear. However, he said his team worked hard to try to convict Webster, and he has no regrets concerning his work.
"It's hard to get 12 people to agree on anything," Denny said. "It's extremely hard to convict an officer. This case has been no different. This has been hard for us."
Officer Thomas Webster claimed in his testimony he did not mean to kick Lateef Dickerson in the head. He meant to aim for his upper body.
Despite the unhappy emotions, the entire mood stayed calm and peaceful throughout the afternoon.
