Officer Richard Haste turned himself in to authorities today and pleaded not guilty to charges of first- and second-degree manslaughter in the shooting death of 18-year-old Ramarley Graham. "It's always difficult but he's being very strong,” Haste's attorney, Stewart London, told the Daily News outside Bronx Criminal Court. “He understands the seriousness of these charges and he also feels for the family and understands the tragic nature, that's there's a loss of life. He's nervous but confident."
Haste, who has been an NYPD officer for four years, was indicted in Graham's death on Monday. "In some ways it's a relief," London said of the trial, "because now we'll get to have our say and litigate this case and we're confident that we'll be successful at the conclusion of it."
The teenager was killed after Haste and other officers allegedly observed him buying drugs and followed him to his Bronx home. Haste is seen on surveillance footage with other officers as they attempt to kick open the door to the Graham residence. After they gained entry, Haste ran upstairs and found Graham in his bathroom. The officer allegedly yelled "Show me your hands! Gun! Gun!" before shooting Graham once and killing him. The teenager was unarmed, and had been dumping a small amount of marijuana into the toilet.
Graham's neighbors are filing a suit against the city for the distress the police officers caused when they entered the building, guns drawn. A notice of claim obtained by the Daily News and filed by the neighbors describes one officer putting a gun to the head of a 55-year-old woman who had just come out of the shower and was wearing only a towel. After officers were told there were surveillance cameras recording everything, “[He] immediately lowered his weapon. His demeanor completely changed, and he alerted his colleague that they may be on camera."
With charges brought against Officer Haste, the Graham family will essentially shift their attention from one trial to another: Ramarley's half-brothers, twins Hodean and Kadean Graham, are almost finished with their own ordeal of gang-related drug charges in Harlem. The boys' father, Franclot Graham, tells the Times that while his children may have gotten into trouble, it was not to the extent that the Manhattan DA's office alleges. “I, as a parent, feel that because I was always working, I didn’t get to stop it, because I didn’t see it."
Ramarley Graham's mother, Constance Malcolm, adds, “The twins did not even get to grieve their brother because of what they are going through."
