The ex-Minneapolis officer's lawyer who killed Justine Damond fears an ambush

April 10, 2019, 01:31 GMT

By Associated press

MINNEAPOLIS – A Minneapolis police officer killed an unarmed woman while she was approaching the car of her squad after calling 911 to report a possible tragic crime. "

Mohamed Noor, accused of murder and manslaughter upon the death of Justine Ruszczyk Damond in 2017, and his partner were slipping down a dark alley in response to Damond's calls to 911, regarding the death penalty. a possible sexual assault, when a cyclist appeared before them and they heard "a bang," said defense lawyer Peter Wold in his opening statement at Noor's trial.

"It's the fraction of a second that follows in this case," said Wold.

Noor fired a single shot, killing Damond, a 40-year-old American and Australian citizen, who shook both countries and led changes in the Minneapolis Police Department. The shooting occurred just two weeks after an officer in New York was ambushed and killed in a parked vehicle.

Noor's lawyers, who were fired after being charged and never told investigators what happened, claim that he used reasonable force to defend himself and his partner against a threat. perceived. But prosecutors say that there is no evidence that he is facing a threat that justifies deadly force

Attorney Patrick Lofton, in his opening statement, questioned Noor's partner Matthew Harrity's statement that he heard a thump just before the shooting. Lofton said that Harrity had never spoken of such noise on the scene, but had talked about it for the first time a few days later during an interview with investigators.

Lofton also stated that the investigators had found no forensic evidence that Damond had touched the squad car prior to her shooting, an assertion that appeared to want her to slap or hit her as police approached. .

Lofton also wondered why the other agents who had responded to the scene did not always have their camera on. The officers only turned on their body cameras after the shooting, and there was no video of the squad car. Lofton noted that a sergeant taking statements had his camera when she had spoken to Harrity, but turned off when she had spoken to Noor.

"We will never hear what Noor said," he said.

Damond was a life coach who was engaged in a month. Noor, 33, is a Somali American whose arrival in the force a few years earlier had been flouted by municipal leaders who were striving to diversify the police force.

Damond called 911 twice, then her fiancé and hung up when the police arrived, said Lofton. One minute and 19 seconds later, Damond carried a bullet in her stomach and said, "I'm dying," Lofton added.

Minnesota law allows police officers to use lethal force to protect themselves or their partners from death or serious bodily harm. Prosecutors charged Noor with intentional second-degree murder, third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter.

Damond's fiancé, Don Damond, was the first witness to appear before the prosecutors. Damond sobbed while describing the investigators' calls the night of Justine's death, claiming that she had not been told that one officer had shot her down until a second phone call.

Damond said calling family members in Australia was "painful, traumatic and the worst call I've ever had to make of my life". Justine's members in Australia, including her father, mother-in-law, brother and sister-in-law, were in the courtroom on Tuesday and could be heard crying during Damond's testimony.

Justine Damond had taken her fiance's name professionally before their marriage.

Earlier Tuesday, Judge Kathryn Quaintance of Hennepin District gave in to restrictions that would have prevented the public and the media from viewing the video evidence presented in the case. This should include a body camera video showing efforts to save Damond. Quaintance had raised his desire to protect Damond's privacy, but a coalition of media groups, including the Associated Press, had challenged the ban.

"The court, like the jury, must respect the law, even if I do not agree with it," Quaintance said.

Noor's lawyers did not say he was going to testify. If this is the case, prosecutors may be able to present evidence indicating that the defense wished to stay out of the state file, including the fact that he had refused to speak to the investigators . They could also evoke a 2015 psychological test that showed that Noor did not like being surrounded by people and had difficulty coping with others. In spite of this test, a psychiatrist found him fit to be a cadet officer.

The shootings raised questions about Noor's training. The police chief defended Noor's training, but the leader was forced to resign a few days later. The shooting also resulted in changes in the department's policy regarding the use of body cameras.