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Minnesota officer acquitted in motorist shooting

Minnesota officer acquitted in motorist shooting
Posted 7:47 PM, Jun 16, 2017

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) - A Minnesota police officer has been acquitted of manslaughter in the fatal shooting of a black motorist.

Jeronimo (yeh-RON'-ih-moh) Yanez was also cleared Friday of two lesser charges in the July traffic stop in a St. Paul suburb. Yanez shot Philando Castile five times just seconds after Castile informed him he was carrying a gun.

Yanez testified that Castile was pulling his gun out of his pocket despite his commands not to do so. The defense also argued Castile was high on marijuana and said that affected his actions.

Castile had a permit for the weapon. Prosecutors questioned whether Yanez ever saw the gun. They argued that the officer overreacted and that Castile was not a threat.

The case garnered immediate attention because Castile's girlfriend streamed the aftermath live on Facebook.

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2:15 p.m.

A Minnesota jury has reached a verdict in the trial of a police officer charged with manslaughter in the death of a black motorist.

Ramsey County court officials say the verdict will be read around 2:45 p.m. Central time.

Officer Jeronimo (yeh-RON'-ih-moh) Yanez is charged in the death of 32-year-old Philando Castile.

Yanez pulled Castile over for a broken taillight July 6 in a St. Paul suburb. He shot Castile seconds later, after Castile informed him he was carrying a gun.

The shooting drew widespread attention and condemnation in part because Castile's girlfriend streamed the gruesome aftermath of the shooting live on Facebook.

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