A North Carolina jury on Tuesday began deliberating in the voluntary manslaughter trial of a police officer in the fatal shooting of an unarmed black man who was involved in a car accident and ran toward police, reports NBC.
In closing arguments, defense attorneys focused largely on the moments leading up to the point in which a Charlotte-Mecklenburg police officer shot former Florida A&M University football player Jonathan Ferrell, 24. Attorney George Laughrum recounted that another officer at the scene had testified that Ferrell approached the officer in "a charge and a bull rush."
The officer, 28, testified on Thursday that he thought Ferrell was going to harm him and another officer and that he feared the 24-year-old would try to take his gun during the Sept. 14, 2013 incident. The officer fired at Ferrell 12 times, hitting him with 10 shots.
Evidence and testimony shared during the three-week trial is now in the hands of a jury made up of eight women and four men. The officer faces up to 11 years in prison if found guilty.
