CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) - The latest on the trial of a white Charlotte-Mecklenburg police officer charged with voluntary manslaughter in the shooting death of an unarmed black man seeking help after a crash in September 2013 (all times local):
3:30 p.m.
Charlotte-Mecklenburg police officer Randall Kerrick has finished testifying in his voluntary manslaughter trial.
Kerrick spent four hours on the witness stand Friday, sparring with prosecutors, after spending about two hours testifying Thursday. He is charged in the September 2013 shooting death of Jonathan Ferrell.
Prosecutors attacked Kerrick’s credibility, ranging from his application to become a police officer to the training he received and his account of what happened on the night of the shooting.
He told the prosecution that he responded to the report of a breaking and entering because he was hoping to find the person responsible. He said he shot Ferrell to stop the man from attacking him and trying to get his gun.
Ferrell had been involved in a car accident and had gone to a house, apparently to search for help. A person at the house called police.
10:45 a.m.
Prosecutors are challenging Charlotte-Mecklenburg police officer Randall Kerrick’s statement to investigators and his actions on the night he shot and killed an unarmed black man.
Kerrick was on the witness stand for the second day on Friday. He is charged with voluntary manslaughter and faces up to 11 years in prison if found guilty.
Prosecutor Teresa Postell asked Kerrick why he turned off his dashcam before reaching the home where there had been a breaking and entering call. Kerrick said he didn’t want to alert the suspect that he had arrived, for fear the person would flee.
Postell also pointed out inconsistencies in Kerrick’s statements to investigators in the hours after the shooting. Kerrick replied that the statement was taken shortly after he’d fought for his life and he apologized for any inconsistencies.
On Thursday, an emotional Kerrick told the jury that he was married and had a son. Asked about his family again, Kerrick, who is suspended from the police force without pay, said his 15-month-old son was born four days after he shot and killed Ferrell. Defense attorney Michael Greene tried to ask Kerrick what he was doing to support his family during the suspension, but the prosecution objected to the question and Kerrick didn’t answer.
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