Officer to Face Charges in Teen’s Death
A white police officer whose fatal shooting of a black teenager raised racial tensions in Louisville was indicted Friday on murder charges.
McKenzie Mattingly, 31, has been on leave since the Jan. 3 slaying of Michael Newby, 19, who was shot in the back during an undercover drug buy.
“Just because you have a badge on your chest doesn’t give you the right to just shoot anybody,” prosecutor David Stengel said at a news conference.
Newby was the seventh black man fatally shot by Louisville police officers in the last five years. None of the officers involved in the previous shootings was charged.
Mattingly, who had appeared before the grand jury Friday, left without speaking to reporters and was not present when the indictment came down.
He could be sentenced to 20 years to life in prison if convicted. His arraignment was set for Monday.
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