The case against Mr Brelo began in 2012, years before the death of Tamir and those of a litany of black men at the hands of police across the country. Since then demonstrators in city after city have marched in protest and vented their frustration on social media, helping this relatively little-known Cleveland case become the top trending topic worldwide on Twitter on Saturday morning.
A protest march began after the verdict and continued into the evening, with more than 100 demonstrators chanting and blocking traffic downtown. There were several tense moments, including some with Cleveland Indians fans leaving the baseball stadium, but the event remained largely peaceful as nightfall approached.

The windshield of Timothy Russell's car is shown in court during the manslaughter trial for police officer Michael Brelo in Cleveland. Photo: AARON JOSEFCZYK

On November 29, 2012, Russell led police on a 30-kilometre pursuit after a gun, police said, was fired at officers near the city's downtown justice centre. No gun was ever found, and prosecutors said the sound was a car backfiring.
During the 22-minute chase, more than 100 officers pursued Russell, firing dozens of shots. Russell's car was stopped after two police cruisers trapped it in a school parking lot. Prosecutors said Mr Brelo jumped on the hood of Russell's car and fired at Russell and Williams 15 times from point-blank range. Of the 137 rounds fired by police during the chase, Mr Brelo shot 49.
Justice O'Donnell said it would be impossible to determine that Mr Brelo was directly responsible for the deaths, given the number of shots fired. Autopsies revealed that Russell and Williams were each shot nearly two dozen times, and both suffered multiple fatal wounds.

Demonstrators holding pictures of Timothy Russell and Malissa Williams protest the acquittal of Michael Brelo. Photo: AP

Some say the volatile relationship between police and the community is rooted in our country's original sin, Justice O'Donnell said. Whether it is or not, that sin won't be expiated and the suspicion and hostility between the police and people won't be extirpated by a verdict in a single criminal lawsuit.
Michelle Russell, Timothy Russell's sister, said the investigation was flawed.
There's another side to this story that never came out, she said in a televised news conference. It never dawned on anybody in the courtroom or the judge that maybe these officers' stories aren't true.

Michael Brelo reacts after he was acquitted of the manslaughter of two unarmed people in Cleveland. Photo: Tony Dejak

Justice O'Donnell noted the chaos of the pursuit and the police's perception that Russell and Williams had fired upon them, and he ruled that Mr Brelo was justified in using deadly force because he believed the pair presented an imminent threat to his life.
The chase sparked a years-long US Department of Justice review of Cleveland police tactics. Federal investigators released their findings last year, ruling that city police routinely used excessive force, needlessly shot residents and used stun guns and chemical sprays to punish, rather than subdue, suspects.
On Saturday, the head of the department's Civil Rights Division said the agency is conducting a separate review of the Brelo trial to determine what, if any, additional steps are available and appropriate .
A slew of officers refused to testify at the trial, and others who had been subpoenaed refused to even meet with prosecutors to go over their testimony. Cuyahoga County prosecutor Timothy McGinty accused the union of attempting to insulate Mr Brelo from prosecution, comparing their actions to those of an organised crime syndicate .
Mr Brelo, who still faces department discipline, left Cleveland with his wife and two children after the verdict, according to Stephen Loomis, president of the Cleveland Police Patrolman's Association. Mr Loomis said he feared that Mr Brelo could be a target for violence if he returns to patrol in the city.
Mr Loomis called the shooting a tragedy , but chided protesters who were angered by the verdict.
But Democrat Marcia Fudge, who represents Ohio in US Congress, told the Cleveland Plain-Dealer it was a stunning setback for justice, adding: The verdict is another chilling reminder of the broken relationship between the Cleveland Police Department and the community it serves.
Mr Brelo will remain on unpaid suspension while a panel formed after the shooting continues its investigation into his actions and those of 12 other officers involved. In November, the city agreed to pay $US3 million to settle wrongful death lawsuits brought by the families of Russell and Williams.
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