The murder trial of an Alabama police officer who fatally shot an armed Black man in his front yard will depend on whether the officer had the authority to be at the man’s house in the first place
An Alabama police officer's murder trial hinges on whether he had the right to be on the property where he fatally shot a Black man. The judge's decision on state self-defense immunity laws depends on whether the officer was acting within his duties when he accompanied a tow-truck driver to repossess the man's truck, after the man had previously brandished a firearm. Prosecutors argue the officer had no reason to be there without a court order and intentionally positioned himself out of the homeowner's sight, while the defense contends the officers were fulfilling a routine "keep the peace" operation after a citizen requested assistance.
