Florida officer goes on trial for killing black motorist

By TERRY SPENCER
February 20, 2019

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — For the first time in 26 years, a Florida police officer is standing trial for an on-duty killing — and one of his defenses will be the state’s controversial “stand your ground” law.

The trial of fired Palm Beach Gardens officer Nouman Raja begins with jury selection Thursday. He is charged with manslaughter and attempted first-degree murder for the 2015 shooting of Corey Jones. Jones, a 31-year-old black musician, had just gotten out of his broken-down SUV when he was confronted by Raja, who was dressed in plainclothes and driving an unmarked white van. The shooting happened amid several highly publicized killings of black men by police officers nationwide, some leading to prosecutions. Raja, 41, could face a life sentence if convicted.

Prosecutors say an audio recording shows Raja never identified himself. They say that caused Jones, who had a concealed-weapons permit, to pull a handgun because he feared he was being robbed. They say Raja kept firing after he saw Jones throw away his gun, and lied to investigators about it.

“Absolutely nothing about him (Raja) provided any indication that he represented a law enforcement agency,” prosecutor Brian Fernandes wrote in court documents, calling Raja a “rogue officer.”

Raja’s attorneys argue he identified himself and feared for his life when Jones pulled his gun. They argued that Raja should be protected under the stand your ground law, which says anyone with a legitimate fear of imminent danger can use lethal force. The law also says it is up to prosecutors to prove the person’s fear was lacking or unreasonable. One exception is that the person cannot be the initial aggressor.

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