Kevin Grasha, and Sharon Coolidge

Cincinnati

When Ray Tensing began his shift the afternoon of July 19, 2015, he was wearing a T-shirt depicting a Confederate flag under his police uniform.

The shirt, which also had the words "Great Smoky Mountains," referring to the National Park, was the biggest revelation Friday in Tensing's trial. It was among the evidence shown to the jury, as a criminologist outlined what Tensing was wearing the day he shot and killed Sam DuBose during a traffic stop.

A photo of the shirt was shown on a large video monitor, and it went by without comment from either side. The image is significant because the trial involves the killing of a black man by a white officer. Many consider the flag a glorification of slavery and enduring racism.

Members of DuBose's family were surprised, as were others in the courtroom.

"It says a lot about the nature of his intent, and the person he is," said DuBose's fiancee, DaShonda Reid.

State Sen. Cecil Thomas, who was in the courtroom Friday, said "it speaks to Tensing's mindset."

"The flag is contrary to everything the African-American community represents," said Thomas, a former Cincinnati police officer. "Every officer is representing the community... He had to wake up, make the conscious decision to put it on as part of his uniform. He had to recognize in his own mind what he was wearing."

The condition of Tensing's uniform is important because damage to it could show Tensing, then a University of Cincinnati police officer, was dragged as DuBose's vehicle began to speed away. Prosecutors say DuBose's foot hit the accelerator as a "postmortem reflex" after Tensing shot him in the head. Tensing is standing trial in Hamilton County Common Pleas Court on charges of murder and voluntary manslaughter.

A photo of the T-shirt was among several evidence items prosecutors showed jurors during the testimony of Cincinnati police crime scene investigator Jimmy Pham.

After it was shown in court Friday, the T-shirt image was distributed widely on social media, sparking conversation about whether it matters to the case.

Rob Richardson Jr., chairman of UC's board of trustees, issued the following statement late Friday: "UC does not condone this in any way. It is not representative of the great men and women who serve us on our police force and represent this great university."

Among the other items shown: A gin bottle containing air freshener that was inside the car, the red hat DuBose was wearing, Tensing's semiautomatic pistol and gun belt.

Pham said investigators also found a jar and several individual bags containing marijuana. The total weight was more than half a pound.

Also Friday:

• A use-of-force expert said Tensing made a "tactical error" during the traffic stop and "escalated the situation."

• The day ended early, when after a nearly two-and-a-half-hour break jurors never returned to the courtroom. Officials said the delay happened after a jurors expressed fear about being identified.

• Judge Megan Shanahan issued a gag order to prosecutors and defense attorneys. She made the order without explanation, saying only that it was "due to the issues that have arisen."

Enquirer reporter Mark Curnutte contributed to this report.











