COMPTON : 300 Demonstrate Against Mistrial in Officer’s Case
About 300 demonstrators gathered at the Compton Civic Center to protest the mistrial of a police officer who was charged with manslaughter in the deaths of two Samoan brothers.
Community leaders had said previously that anger felt by the Los Angeles area’s large Samoan population should be vented only through peaceful protest. Last week jurors deadlocked 9-3 in favor of acquitting Compton police Officer Alfred Skiles in the deaths of Pouvi Tualaulelei, 34, and his brother, Itali, 22, outside their home. The older brother was shot 11 times, including eight times in the back. His brother was shot eight times, with five wounds in the back. They were unarmed.
Skiles said he shot in self-defense.
Superior Court Judge John Reid, who declared the mistrial, set a June 1 hearing date to decide whether there should be a retrial.
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