New York, NY - Frank Graham found little joy in the moment that he hoped and prayed for – the arrest of the officer accused of shooting his son dead.

“Why did he kill our son?   18 years old…18” said the father of 18 year old Remarley Graham who sat a few feet away from Richard Haste as the charges read aloud in court.

The police officer faces first and second-degree manslaughter charges for shooting Graham in his own the bathroom on February 2nd.  The four year veteran followed the teenager to his home and then kicked down a door without a warrant – alleging that Graham was carrying drugs and a gun – neither was found at the scene.

“If you take his statement and breath truth into his statements Guess what the grand jury said we still believe a criminal act took place” said Royce Russell Graham Family Attorney.  "it is only a first step"

But police and their union, the PBA, are blaming the victim for his death. In court, the police officer’s attorneys argued that Haste fired only after Graham refused to show his hands.

“They gave the proper orders that were trained to give and this person did not raise his hands. This police officer believed he was going to be shot.” said Patrick Lynch PBA President under the sound halo of a chant that echoed “NYPD, KKK How many people have you killed today” The defense reasoning for shooting Graham angered an already hostile crowd protesting the police outside the courthouse.

The Rev. Al Sharpton, who sat behind Remarley Grahams parents in court shrugged off the assertions saying “Clearly if you know you are unarmed, know you don’t have a gun…why would you reach for something that is not there”

The indictment and arraignment are just the first steps in what could be a long and complicated judicial process.  In the past, attorneys for officers accused of killing un-armed civilians have attempted a number of legal maneuvers to get better odds.  Those moves include having a trial in front of a judge instead of a jury and in some cases moving the trial out of New York entirely.

That was the case in the year 2000. Four white police officers who shot and killed Guinean immigrant Amadou Diallo, were acquitted by a jury in Albany – more than one hundred and forty miles away from New York.  Police fired 41 times at Diallo who had no gun or criminal record.

 Constance Malcolm, Remarley Graham’s Mother urged the media and people who would read or watch her plea, to join her family in fighting for justice.

“We have too much of this going on and it has to stop  We need this to stop we can’t keep killing our kids”

Haste pleaded not guilty, posted 50 thousand dollars bail and left the courthouse under guard. He faces a maximum of 25 years in prison if he is convicted of the most serious charge.  But as Franc Graham observed, the cop will be with his family this weekend when Americans celebrate father’s day