The Police In The Castile Case Plead Not Guilty

2024 Author: Steven Freeman | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 08:15

A Minnesota police officer pleaded not guilty Monday to murder and other charges in the death of Philando Castile, one of the cases that fueled controversy over police brutality last year.

According to the Associated Press, the trial is scheduled for May 30, after the judge last week dismissed the defense's motion to drop the charges against agent Jerónimo Yanez.

Castile, a school cafeteria worker, was shot and killed by seven police officers after the vehicle he was traveling in was ordered to stop by officers.

The incident was broadcast on Facebook Live by the deceased's girlfriend, whose 4-year-old daughter also accompanied him in the back of the car. The companion assures in the recording that Castile was trying to take out her wallet when she was shot.

Yanez's lawyer argues that the agent feared for his life after seeing that the 32-year-old had a gun and that he was in possession of marijuana, for which they consider that he was "guilty negligent and was the substantial cause of his death.", according to the Daily News.

In police recordings of the incident, the agent can be heard telling a colleague that the deceased and his girlfriend, both African-American, looked "as suspected of being involved in a robbery."

Castile, who had a gun permit, had told the agent that there was a gun in the vehicle.