Roy Oliver was found guilty for fatally shooting Jordan Edwards, but the Edwards family has criticized the length of the sentence

This article is more than 2 years old

This article is more than 2 years old

A former Texas police officer has been sentenced to 15 years in prison for murdering unarmed teenager Jordan Edwards last year.

But Edwards’s family criticized the sentence, saying they had hoped for 25 to 30 years or more.

“We’re thankful for the verdict that we received, although we wanted more years,” Jordan’s stepmother, Charmaine Edwards, said after the sentencing on Wednesday.

Roy Oliver was found guilty on Tuesday of murder for fatally shooting the 15-year-old as he was leaving a house party in a car full of other youngsters.

Police shooting of Texas teen in moving car violated federal guidance Read more

Jurors convicted Oliver in a Dallas county courtroom, on the second day of deliberations.

Oliver, who is white, was fired from the Balch Springs police department days after the April 2017 shooting. Oliver killed Jordan Edwards, an African American, when he fired into a moving car carrying five teenagers leaving an unruly local house party.

Charmaine Edwards said of Oliver’s sentence: “He actually can see life again after 15 years. And that’s not enough because Jordan can’t see life again.”

Jordan Edwards was in the front passenger seat and it took a few moments for his 16-year-old brother, who was driving, and other passengers to notice that he was slumped over in his seat.



Oliver, in violation of federal guidelines, had opened fire on their vehicle with a rifle. The bullets shattered the front passenger-side window and Edwards was hit in the head. Oliver turned himself in to the authorities six days later.

Facebook Twitter Pinterest Jordan Edwards. Photograph: Mesquite Independent School District

At his trial, Oliver testified that he opened fire after seeing the car move toward his police partner. He says he thought his partner was in danger. But his partner told jurors he didn’t fear for his life and never felt the need to fire his weapon.



Oliver was being tried on murder and aggravated assault charges.

At the time of the shooting, records obtained by the Associated Press showed that Oliver was briefly suspended in 2013 following a complaint about his conduct while serving as a witness in a drunk-driving case.

Police personnel records showed Oliver was suspended for 16 hours in December 2013 after the Dallas county district attorney’s office filed the complaint. Oliver also was ordered to take training courses in anger management and courtroom demeanor and testimony.

Oliver joined the Balch Springs department in 2011 after having been an officer with the Dalworthington Gardens police, where officials said he received an award for “meritorious conduct”.