Jacob Blake, the 29-year-old African-American man who was shot seven times in the back by a Kenosha police officer on August 23, has had a sex assault charge against him dropped by the state of Wisconsin after he reached a plea bargain.
According to The Kenosha News, prosecutors said they were left with no resort but to drop the charge on Friday after the woman who accused him became uncooperative with investigators. Blake, who appeared at the Kenosha County Circuit Court via Zoom, instead pleaded guilty to two counts of disorderly conduct and was sentenced to two years of probation. The aforementioned charges were in relation to a verbal altercation he had with the female witness.
“Honestly, your honor, although I pled guilty to this, I don’t consider myself to be guilty,” Blake told the judge during the hearing. “I pretty much took this opportunity to get to see my children quicker.”
The August 23 incident occurred when the mother of Blake’s children called officers to report an altercation with him at her residence, claiming that he was “not supposed to be on the premises.” In the aftermath of the shooting, family attorney, Benjamin Crump, however, said Blake was trying to deescalate a domestic incident before the police arrived.
The woman had previously reported Blake to authorities for allegedly taking her debit card and car and also sexually assaulting her. A warrant for his arrest in relation to that May incident was subsequently issued.
The special prosecutor handling the case, Walworth County District Attorney Zeke Wiedenfeld, told the court on Friday the sex assault case, which was set to go on trial next week, had to be dropped after the woman who accused Blake seized cooperating with the prosecution, The Kenosha News reported. The prosecution, therefore, reached a plea agreement with Blake’s attorney.
“This was an agreement reached partly because the victim in this matter was not responsive to the subpoena to appear in court,” Wiedenfeld told the court.
Authorities are, however, still investigating the August 23 shooting, with Kenosha County District Attorney Michael Graveley expected to announce whether or not charges would be brought against the officer who shot Blake in the coming weeks, according to The Kenosha News.
Blake’s shooting, which has left him paralyzed and confined to a wheelchair, ignited days of curfew-defying protests, with incidents of violence, looting and destruction of property reported.
Two protesters were also fatally shot by a 17-year-old vigilante, Kyle Rittenhouse, during an altercation. All the officers involved in the shooting have been placed on administrative leave pending the outcome of an investigation into the incident.
Anthony Madu, the 14-year-old Nigerian dancer from Lagos who gained admission to a prestigious ballet…
Actor-host Wayne Brady recently opened up about his early financial struggles in his now thriving…
Mia Arianna, also known as @mia.ariannaa on TikTok, helped her son become an honorary team…
Alvin Gauthier, a Grand Prairie USPS postman, recently went above and beyond to brighten a…
Maj. Gen. Fatuma Gaiti Ahmed is the first female commander of the air force and…
Benjamin E. Mays High School brought together its 272 senior class members for a meeting…
Afrika Owes' emotional response to learning that she had passed the bar exam on her…
A 49-year-old New York attorney was on April 26 sentenced to 10 years in federal…
During an appearance on The Jennifer Hudson Show on Wednesday, pop legend Cher opened up…
Authorities in Florida said an 11-year-old boy was accidentally shot and killed by his 14-year-old…
The famous Taylor Schlitz family is making headlines once more as the youngest of the…
Sony Pictures Entertainment has appointed Tahra Grant as its Chief Communications Officer. She replaces Robert…
Meet Ashley M. Fox, the founder of Empify and the first in her family to…
Tyra Banks, the iconic former host of Dancing With the Stars, has made a delightful…
A Brazilian woman named Érika de Souza, 42, is under investigation for manslaughter after authorities…