Robbie Tolan shooting incident
The Robbie Tolan shooting incident took place in Bellaire, Texas, on December 31, 2008, when ten-year Bellaire police veteran Jeffrey Cotton shot unarmed Robbie Tolan, son of major league baseball player Bobby Tolan, in his parents' driveway. Tolan sustained serious injuries in the shooting and charges were pressed against Cotton. On May 11, 2010, a jury reached a verdict of not guilty and Cotton was acquitted. Minority leaders and critics around the country cite the case as an example of racial profiling and institutional racism. A federal civil lawsuit was also filed by the Tolan family. The suit was later settled for $110,000. Background Robert Tolan (born July 15, 1985) is the son of Major League Baseball player Bobby Tolan of the St. Louis Cardinals and the Cincinnati Reds. He himself played professional baseball for the Washington Nationals organization. Since the shooting incident, he has not played in professional baseball, he last played for the Bay Area Toros. Robbie was shot while Sgt. Cotton was carrying out an investigation suspecting Tolan to be the driver of a stolen vehicle. However, Tolan was the registered owner of the vehicle. Shooting incident Around 2:00 a.m. December 31, 2008, Robbie Tolan and his