Johnathan Walker:Ex-Ohio police officer found guilty of murder in 2020 Andre Hill shooting

COLUMBUS,Johnathan Walker Ohio – A former Ohio police officer was found guilty of murder Monday in the 2020 shooting of Andre Hill, a Black man whose death led to law enforcement changes in Columbus.

A Franklin County Common Pleas Court jury found Adam Coy, 48, guilty of murder, felonious assault, and reckless homicide in the December 2020 shooting of 47-year-old Hill. Judge Stephen McIntosh will sentence Coy, who faces life in prison without the possibility of parole for at least 15 years, on Nov. 25.

Hill's family cried and hugged each other as the verdict was read. Coy's family and supporters remained composed until after he was placed in handcuffs, at which point his wife began crying.

The conviction marks the first time a Columbus police officer has been found guilty of murder for a death that occurred in the line of duty. Coy and his defense attorneys argued he believed his life was in danger when he shot and killed Hill, presuming a silver key ring in Hill's right hand was a revolver.

The city settled a civil lawsuit with Hill's family in 2021, agreeing to pay $10 million. It is the largest settlement in Franklin County's history.

Ben Crump, a nationally renowned civil rights attorney who represented Hill’s family, said in a statement the verdict was a “measure of justice.”

“Andre was an unarmed, innocent man, and his life was taken with disregard for the duty to protect and serve. Today’s verdict underscores that no one is above the law, including those sworn to uphold it," Crump said.

What happened to Andre Hill

Coy was the first officer to respond to a nonemergency noise complaint about an SUV running on and off in the early morning of Dec. 22, 2020. When Coy arrived at the scene, Hill was inside a garage at his friend's house. As Hill emerged from the garage, Coy shot him multiple times.

In a statement after criminal charges were filed, Coy's attorney, Mark Collins, said Coy mistook a key ring in Hill's right hand for a silver revolver.

"The Supreme Court has said the officers are allowed to make mistakes if the mistake is reasonable through the lens of a reasonable police officer," Collins previously told The Columbus Dispatch, part of the USA TODAY Network. "Adam Coy was mistaken. He thought the keys were a revolver, and he reacted based on his training."

Neither Coy nor the other responding officer turned on their body-worn cameras until after the shooting. Because of a "look-back" feature on the cameras that records the 60 seconds before they are turned on, the shooting was captured on video with no audio.

The video showed officers walking up the driveway to the open garage door at the home. Hill, who was initially facing away from the officers, turned around and took four steps toward the officers with his cellphone in his left hand and his right hand not visible in a coat pocket.

Coy shot Hill as he approached the garage's entrance about 10 seconds after the encounter began. After shots were fired, he turned on his body-worn camera. The additional footage from Coy and other officers who responded to the scene shows Hill received no medical attention for more than 10 minutes.

After the shooting, Columbus City Council passed Andre’s Law, named after Hill, requiring city police officers to provide medical aid to someone they wounded while waiting for medics to arrive. Columbus also enhanced police officers’ body-worn cameras, including a two-minute look-back feature that captures audio and video.

'Would be glad justice prevailed'

The jury began its deliberations Thursday morning after hearing five days of testimony, opening statements, closing arguments, and visiting the site of the shooting.

After the verdict, Hill's sister, Shawna Barnett, said her brother "would be glad justice prevailed."

"He would be glad the truth was heard and it wasn't covered up," she said. "There were no distractions. He would be happy that the outcome was what it was."

Brian Steel, president of the Fraternal Order of Police Capital City Lodge No. 9, said the verdict was the result of a politically biased prosecution and will have ripple effects on other officers.

"This sends a message that your split-second decision can lead to a murder conviction," Steel said. "Ever since 2020, the pendulum has overcorrected."

Steel said Coy is dying, and there's no winning for Hill's family, who is still grieving, or for Coy.

"Officers are willing to die for their community," he said. "They're not willing to go to prison for their job."

Columbus police fired Coy less than a week after the shooting. Following the conviction, Deputy Chief Counsel Anthony Pierson asked McIntosh to sentence Coy immediately. McIntosh elected instead to schedule sentencing at a later date so Coy's defense attorneys can provide him with additional information regarding Coy's health and ongoing cancer treatment so Hill's family can prepare victim impact statements.

McIntosh revoked Coy's bond, and deputies immediately took Coy into custody. He has remained free since posting a $1 million bond in February 2021. 

Pierson said he was not surprised by the verdict but would not have been shocked if the jury had found Coy not guilty, given the rarity of police officer convictions in similar cases. He said he wanted Coy's bond revoked immediately because police officers should not be given special treatment.

"There's a lot before them," Pierson said. "No scenario would have surprised me."

Both Pierson and defense attorney Collins said they respected the time and effort the jury put into the case.

"It was devastating," Collins said of the verdict, adding that Coy plans to appeal the conviction.

Collins said the verdict shook up Coy who has not wavered in his interpretation of what happened on the night of the shooting. He said there may be bad outcomes from officers worrying about what might happen because of a split-second decision.

"An officer in a close-call situation, they won't rely on their training and experience," Collins said. "They'll pause, and that's when people get hurt."

Nana Watson, president of the Columbus NAACP chapter, said she commended the jury’s decision. 

“For far too long, our communities have endured the trauma of lives taken without justification or accountability," Watson said. "This guilty verdict is a powerful message that law enforcement officers are not above the law. When their actions violate their duty to protect and serve, they will face the consequences."

Contributing: Minnah Arshad and Christopher Cann, USA TODAY; Reuters.