A Franklin County jury has acquitted Blendon Township police officer Connor Grubb in the shooting death of Ta’Kiya Young, a 21-year-old pregnant woman. The verdict was reached following a two-week trial and eight hours of jury deliberations spread over two days. Young was six months pregnant at the time of the incident, which occurred on August 24, 2023.
Details of the Incident
The shooting took place in the parking lot of a Kroger grocery store. Blendon Township Sgt. Erik Moynihan was responding to a request for assistance from a woman locked out of her vehicle when a store employee flagged him down. The employee accused Young of shoplifting and identified her as the suspect.
Moynihan approached Young’s vehicle which was found to have no license plate. When instructed to exit the vehicle and address the allegations, Young refused to comply. Body camera footage presented at the trial showed Grubb moving toward the front of the car before it suddenly accelerated, striking him.
Grubb then discharged his firearm, fatally wounding Young. Legal arguments centered on the justification of Grubb’s actions during this brief interaction.
The Trial and Verdict
Connor Grubb faced a total of ten felony charges, but four of those related to the death of Young’s unborn child were dismissed by Common Pleas Court Judge David Young prior to jury deliberations. The jury, consisting of nine women and three men, began their deliberations on November 20 and returned their verdict on November 21.
- Trial Duration: Over two weeks
- Witnesses Testified: 17
- Jury Deliberation: Approximately 8 hours
- Verdict Reached: November 21, 2023, 10:30 a.m.
During the trial, Grubb did not testify. The prosecution, led by special prosecutor Dan Brandt from the Montgomery County Prosecutor’s office, and Grubb’s defense team engaged in intense exchanges regarding the evidence and legal standard. Grubb’s attorney, Mark Collins, sought a mistrial, claiming that the prosecution had violated court instructions. Judge Young denied this request, reaffirming the jury’s required impartial stance.
Aftermath and Civil Actions
Currently, Grubb is on unpaid leave from the Blendon Township police department. The department has stated that it will not conduct an internal review until the criminal case concludes. Additionally, Young’s estate has initiated a civil lawsuit against Grubb, the police department, and Kroger.
The circumstances surrounding this case have drawn significant attention, highlighting issues related to law enforcement use of force and accountability.
