San Jose Police Officer Placed On Leave After Provocative Tweets To #BlackLivesMatter Protesters Won't Face Criminal Charges
SAN JOSE (CBS SF) -- Prosecutors say the San Jose police officer who posted inflammatory and taunting social media messages about anti-police protesters won't face criminal charges.
Officer Phillip White touched off an online tempest last month when the posts disparaging demonstrators went viral. One tweet vowed to kill anyone who threatened his family.
The Santa Clara County district attorney said Thursday that the messages weren't criminal because they didn't threaten anyone specifically and no protesters have stepped forward to say they felt endangered by the posts.
A San Jose police spokeswoman says the department plans to conduct an internal investigation to determine if White should be disciplined. Activists are calling for his dismissal.
White has been on paid leave since Dec. 15. He couldn't immediately be reached for comment on Thursday.
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