Bellaire residents addressed city council with comments about the outcome of the trial of Sgt. Jeffrey Cotton during their Monday night meeting.
Cotton was acquitted on May 11 by a Harris County jury, who found him “not guilty” of aggravated assault in the shooting of Bellaire resident Robbie Tolan on the lawn of the Tolan family home on Dec. 31, 2008.
Robbie Tolan was shot after police mistakenly thought he was driving a stolen vehicle.
“It’s a no win for the Tolan’s. It’s a no win for the city government,” Dr. Johnnie Frazier, a Jessamine Street resident said. “The city’s reputation is tarnished.”
Frazier said that Robbie Tolan will have to live with a bullet in his liver forever and Cotton will have to live with the fact that he shot an unarmed man.
“Let us not be complacent and think this is over for the city of homes,” Frazier said. “It will never be over for the city of Bellaire because people will remember.”
Lynn McBee, an Evergreen Street resident, addressed the council, echoing Frazier’s comments.
“Think tasers,” McBee said. “They don’t kill.”
The council did not address either resident’s comments during their meeting. The council released a statement after the trial, but have not made any further comments since then.
“The city has always felt it appropriate to await a jury verdict on the criminal charge before speaking about what we have known since the incident occurred; that Sgt. Edwards’ stop and Sgt. Cotton’s response were appropriate police actions consistent with the law and police officer training,” the statement said.
To read the statement click here.
