MINNEAPOLIS (AP) - The Latest on the trial of a former Minneapolis police officer who fatally shot an unarmed woman in July 2017 (all times local):
7:25 p.m.
The jury that will decide the case of a Minneapolis police officer who shot and killed an unarmed woman has wrapped up its first half day of deliberations without a verdict.
Mohamed Noor was charged with murder and manslaughter in the July 2017 death of Justine Ruszczyk Damond, a 40-year-old dual citizen of the U.S. and Australia who had called 911 to report a possible rape behind her home.
Prosecutors say Noor was not justified when he shot and killed Damond. His defense argues his actions were reasonable given all the circumstances. Noor testified he shot Damond after hearing a bang on his squad car, seeing his partner’s fearful reaction, then seeing Damond outside his partner’s window, raising her arm.
The jury of 10 men and two women is sequestered. Deliberations resume Tuesday.
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2:55 p.m.
A Minnesota jury now has the case of a Minneapolis police officer charged with murder and manslaughter in the 2017 death of an unarmed woman.
Mohamed Noor is charged in the fatal shooting of Justine Ruszczyk Damond, a dual U.S.-Australia citizen who approached his squad car minutes after calling 911 to report a possible rape behind her home.
The case went to the jury Monday after four weeks of jury selection and testimony. After alternate jurors were dismissed, the jury makeup is 10 men and two women. Half of the jurors are people of color.
Damond, a 40-year-old life coach who was due to be married the month after her death, was white.
The 33-year-old Noor is a Somali-Minnesotan whose hiring in 2015 was trumpeted by city leaders seeking to diversify the police force.
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2:40 p.m.
An attorney for a Minneapolis police officer who shot and killed an unarmed woman who approached his squad car calls the woman’s death “the perfect storm” of events that happened in milliseconds.
Mohamed Noor is on trial for murder and manslaughter in the 2017 death of Justine Ruszczyk Damond, a dual citizen of the U.S. and Australia who called 911 to report a possible rape behind her home.
Noor’s attorney Thomas Plunkett, began his closing argument Monday by banging his lectern, shouting a profanity and saying, “Pow!”
Plunkett was recreating testimony by Noor that he heard a loud bang right before Damond approached his squad car, followed by his partner swearing and struggling to pull out his gun, right before Noor fired.
Plunkett told the jury: “Mr. Noor acted as he was trained. He acted as a reasonable police officer.”
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12:15 p.m.
Prosecutors at the trial of a Minneapolis police officer who fatally shot an unarmed woman minutes after she called 911 are asking jurors to question a key part of the officer’s account.
Mohamed Noor is on trial for murder and manslaughter in the death of Justine Ruszczyk Damond, a dual citizen of the U.S. and Australia who called 911 to report a possible rape behind her home.
Noor testified that he heard a loud bang on his car that made him fear a possible ambush right before Damond appeared at his partner’s window. He said he fired to stop a threat.
Prosecutor Amy Sweasy described the bang on the car as a theory that originated with other officers who arrived at the scene and were struggling to understand how the shooting could have happened. She says neither officer mentioned a noise until Noor’s partner talked with state investigators three days later, and there’s “no conclusive proof” Damond ever touched the car.
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10:35 a.m.
The jury that will deliberate the fate of a Minneapolis police officer who fatally shot an unarmed woman who had called 911 has been instructed to consider the case without the benefit of hindsight.
Mohamed Noor is on trial for murder and manslaughter in the death of Justine Ruszczyk Damond, a dual citizen of the U.S. and Australia who called 911 to report a possible rape behind her home.
Before closing arguments were given, Judge Kathryn Quaintance told the jury Monday that when they get the case they will have to decide if Noor was justified in using deadly force based only on what he knew when he fired his gun.
Noor testified that he was startled by a loud bang on his squad car that made him fearful of an ambush right before Damond appeared at his partner’s window.
Prosecutors have argued that Noor’s decision was unreasonable because he saw no weapon and hadn’t seen Damond’s hands before he fired.
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Midnight:
Closing arguments are expected Monday in the trial of a former Minneapolis police officer who fatally shot an unarmed woman in July 2017.
Mohamed Noor is on trial for murder and manslaughter in the death of Justine Ruszczyk Damond, a dual citizen of the U.S. and Australia who called 911 to report a possible rape behind her home.
Noor testified he was in a squad car’s passenger seat when he heard a bang on the driver’s side, then his partner, Officer Matthew Harrity, yelled and tried to pull his gun. Noor said he then saw a woman raise her arm outside Harrity’s window and he fired to save Harrity’s life.
Noor’s attorneys have argued he was justified in using deadly force. Prosecutors say he acted unreasonably.
Prosecutors are expected to call at least one rebuttal witness Monday before closing arguments. Jurors will likely start deliberating Monday and will be sequestered.
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Check out the AP’s complete coverage of Mohamed Noor’s trial.
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