Officer who shot Philando Castile testifies - KXLF.com | Continuous News | Butte, Montana

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Defense attorney Paul Engh asked Mangseth whether it would be proper for an officer to shoot if a person had his hand on a gun and refused commands.

Closing arguments were expected Monday.

Minnesota police officer Jeronimo Yanez, is accused of fatally shooting Philando Castile during a traffic stop in July 2016.

The state maintains that Castile was trying to access his wallet to comply with Yanez's request to produce his driver's license when the officer recklessly shot him. Defense attorneys argue that Yanez responded appropriately to the threat of a gun and in fear of his life.

According to KSTP-TV, Yanez testified that when Castile "was reaching, he looked straight ahead" but "continued to reach toward his pocket". The jury includes three alternates, but it's not clear who the alternates are.

He said Castile told him he had a gun and Yanez says he was reaching for it, despite Yanez ordering him not to.

Bryant said Yanez has an advantage by testifying in his own trial.

Dusterhoft asked Ramsey County Judge William Leary III to allow prosecutors to play back the entire one-hour video of Yanez's interview with the BCA or portions of the video to show jurors the inconsistencies in his statements and to show that Yanez was never under real "duress" during the BCA interview. He said that was significant because it would have meant Castile had the gun all the way out of his pocket when he was shot.

The aftermath of the shooting was streamed live on Facebook by Castile's girlfriend and the video went viral, sparking protests nationwide and renewing criticism of the use of deadly force by police, especially against African-American men.

Just where Castile had that gun, and whether or not it could be seen, could determine whether Yanez heads to prison or is set free.

Prosecutor Jeffrey Paulsen noted during cross-examination that Minnesota law does not require permit holders to disclose the presence of a permit or gun.

Yanez has said he was justified in stopping Castile's auto because he resembled a suspect in a convenience store robbery, according to court documents.

When Yanez pulled him over last July, Castile voluntarily told Yanez he had a gun and was shot five seconds later.

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He said Castile's left hand was on the steering wheel and his right hand was below it.

The jury has watched Yanez's patrol auto video when he stopped Castile at least three times during the trial.

The defense also called its own toxicology expert to the stand Thursday to weigh in on the evidence of marijuana use found in Castile's system during his autopsy. So he had to act fast not knowing if a weapon would be drawn on him.

"I thought I was going to die", Yanez said, according to the Minnesota Star Tribune.

Prosecutors rested their case against Yanez Thursday morning.

"I told him not to reach for it", a visibly agitated Yanez is heard saying on Reynolds's video, where he continues to point his gun at the driver as he lie in his seat bleeding.

Students were taught to put their hands on the steering wheel "at all times unless directed by the officer", tell the officer they have a permit, tell the officer they have a gun and reveal the gun's location, Diehl said. He added it would be reasonable to assume Castile's plan was to fire the weapon. Hardin testified that Castile was high during his exchange with Yanez, a key element to the defense's theory that Castile was too stoned to follow orders.

Kapelsohn, a firearms instructor to police for 37 years, said the situation escalated when Castile reached for something.

He said he reached into the vehicle to try and stop Castile but felt the use of force was necessary, reasonable but ultimately tragic.

Squad vehicle video recorded Yanez in the moments after the shooting telling a supervisor that he didn't know where the gun was.

Prosecutors have sought to show Yanez could have taken lesser steps, such as asking to see Castile's hands or asking where the gun was. The officer backing up Yanez testified that Yanez told him later that he had seen a gun on Castile. Yanez has been charged with manslaughter.

When pulled over by police, James Diehl said he teaches students to first tell officers they have a permit to carry.

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