W hite officers have fatally shot unarmed Black people and avoided going to prison by claiming that they feared for their life during the en...
White officers have fatally shot unarmed Black people and avoided going to prison by claiming that they feared for their life during the encounter. Will that defense work for Mohammed Noor, a Black officer who killed an unarmed white woman named Justine Ruszczyk Damond nearly two years ago?
See Also: Officials Set Trial Date For Black Cop Who Shot White Woman In ‘Self Defense’
Jurors heard Ms. Damond’s 911 calls on Wednesday in which she reported a possible sexual assault before the Minneapolis cop shot her, the Associated Press reported. Noor, 33, stands charged with murder and manslaughter.
Noor shot her in an alley behind her home in July 2017 when she approached the police SUV where Noor and his partner were seated. Noor’s attorney told the jurors in opening statements that he heard a sudden loud noise and fired, fearing a possible ambush. The lawyer noted that two weeks earlier a New York officer was ambushed and killed while sitting in his parked squad car.
White officers like Betty Shelby have used a similar defense successfully. She was charged with manslaughter in the September 2016 shooting death of Terence Crutcher, 40, during an encounter in Tulsa that began with the report of a stalled vehicle. Shelby said she feared for her life, even though Crutcher was unarmed and surrounded by several other police officers, and was acquitted.
Former Ferguson police officer Darren Wilson also claimed that he feared for his life when he gunned down unarmed teenager Michael Brown in 2014. Cleveland officer Timothy Loehmann similarly said he feared for his life when he shot and killed Tamir Rice, a 12-year-old Black child who was playing with a pellet gun in a park. Video showed Loehmann jumping out of his squad car and shooting the boy within seconds, giving no warning or orders. Nevertheless, another police department later hired Loehmann.
Unlike Noor, police officers are rarely indicted and face a jury.
The officer’s body cameras weren’t on and there isn’t a video of the shooting. In a statement released by the lawyer for the family of Ms. Damond, they said, “We remain hopeful that a strong case will be presented by the prosecutor, backed by verified and detailed forensic evidence, and that this will lead to a conviction. No charges can bring our Justine back. However, justice demands accountability for those responsible for recklessly killing the fellow citizens they are sworn to protect, and today’s actions reflect that.”
SEE ALSO:
Family Of White Woman Who Was Fatally Shot By Black Cop Files Massive Lawsuit
White Police Officer Who Shot And Killed Terence Crutcher Will Face No Civil Rights Charges
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