Jury: Ottawa Hills Officer White guilty

TOLEDO, Ohio (WUPW) - A Lucas County Common Pleas jury has found Ottawa Hills police officer Thomas White guilty in the May 23, 2009, traffic stop and shooting of motorcyclist Mike McCloskey.

McCloskey was shot in the back while returning home from work. The bullet paralyzed him from the waist down.

The jury, which received the case at 1:15 p.m. Friday, returned a guilty verdict on the charge of felonious assault and a gun specification charge.

Officer White faces 11 years in jail when sentenced June 21 at 9 a.m.

Before the verdict, the 12-person jury deliberated for nearly six hours. The verdict was read just before 7:30 p.m.

The weapons charge was something the defense tried to get dropped since Officer White is a police officer, but Common Pleas Judge Gary Cook denied it.

Friday morning before the jury began deliberating they heard from both sides in closing arguments.

"Officer White rushed to judgment, shot a man, paralyzed Mr. McCloskey - all for a traffic violation," said Jeff Lingo, prosecuting attorney.

"Shot for traffic violation? Not true," said Jerry Phillips, defense attorney. "It wasn't until he exited the vehicle after a chase and was threatened, and shot one bullet from his revolver."

The state wanted the jury to realize Officer White reacted too quickly. Barley after shouting a command, he fired his revolver.

The defense made it clear the view point that the dash cam video recorded from was not the view point of Officer White when he fired his weapon.

After the verdict, the Village of Ottawa Hills released a statement to the media.

"On behalf of the Village of Ottawa Hills it is with regret that we have learned Officer Thomas White was convicted today by a Lucas County jury. We will await the court's imposition of a sentence. We further regret the serious injury that occurred in the early morning hours of May 23, 2009. We will have no further comment to the media until all of the legal matters arising out of this incident are resolved."

Officer White took the stand in his own defense on Thursday. He told a jury he still feels terrible for shooting McCloskey, but he had to react the way he did because that night's chain of events and that traffic stop made him feel his life was in jeopardy.

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FOX Toledo News reporters Michelle Zepeda and Barrett Andrews contributed to this report.