A Hispanic police officer was free on bond and predicting his vindication after receiving a seven-year prison term for the deaths of two blacks. One critic called the sentence "justice delayed and justice denied."
Officer William Lozano thanked his supporters after being sentenced Wednesday by Dade Circuit Judge Joseph Farina."My attorney, my family and I will continue to fight within the system for the truth, for what is right, and at the end, we will win," Lozano said.
Lozano, 31, was convicted last month on two counts of manslaughter for fatally shooting an unarmed black motorcyclist, sending the vehicle crashing into a car and killing the motorcycle's passenger. The deaths ignited riots by blacks.
The defense contended that Lozano shot in self-defense because the motorcyclist tried to run him down.
"This court cannot do perfect justice in this case," said Farina, who called the deaths and resultant trial a "tragic incident."
Supporters of the Colombian-born officer cheered as they left the courtroom after Farina said Lozano could remain free on $10,000 bond pending the outcome of his appeal.
Patricia Lloyd, sister of slain motorcyclist Clement Lloyd, 23, said she wished the sentence had been longer.
"I see this as both a case now of justice delayed and justice denied," said Marvin Dunn, a black psychology professor at Florida International University. "Seven years does not in fact mean seven years in prison."
But Dunn, who wrote a book on Miami's 1980 race riots, said he hoped blacks would accept the sentence with equanimity.
"What we have to be concerned about is whether or not the perception of a miscarriage of justice now resurfaces in the black community," Dunn said.
The predominantly black Overtown and Liberty City neighborhoods, the scene of riots over past police shootings, were quiet late Wednesday, police said.