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| William Chapman shooting: court hears that officer told two different accounts | William Chapman shooting: court hears that officer told two different accounts |
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| A police officer in Virginia initially gave a different explanation than his current defense for why he fatally shot an unarmed black 18-year-old outside a Walmart, according to testimony given by one of his colleagues on Thursday. | A police officer in Virginia initially gave a different explanation than his current defense for why he fatally shot an unarmed black 18-year-old outside a Walmart, according to testimony given by one of his colleagues on Thursday. |
| Related: Mothers of two men killed by Virginia officer meet ahead of murder trial | Related: Mothers of two men killed by Virginia officer meet ahead of murder trial |
| When asked moments after killing William Chapman what had happened, officer Stephen Rankin “said [Chapman] was reaching for something”, detective Albert Mannings, one of the first officers to arrive on the scene, told jurors. | |
| Attorneys for Rankin have stated that he opened fire on Chapman in the store’s parking lot on 22 April 2015 because the 18-year-old charged at him and posed a physical threat. James Broccoletti, Rankin’s lead attorney, reiterated this argument on Thursday and made no mention of Chapman appearing to reach for something as a justification for Rankin shooting him in the face and the chest. | Attorneys for Rankin have stated that he opened fire on Chapman in the store’s parking lot on 22 April 2015 because the 18-year-old charged at him and posed a physical threat. James Broccoletti, Rankin’s lead attorney, reiterated this argument on Thursday and made no mention of Chapman appearing to reach for something as a justification for Rankin shooting him in the face and the chest. |
| “He doesn’t want to shoot, he doesn’t want to kill, but he has no choice because Mr Chapman doesn’t get on the ground – he lunges, he charges, he moves towards the officer,” Broccoletti told the jury at Portsmouth circuit court. | “He doesn’t want to shoot, he doesn’t want to kill, but he has no choice because Mr Chapman doesn’t get on the ground – he lunges, he charges, he moves towards the officer,” Broccoletti told the jury at Portsmouth circuit court. |
| Chapman was the second unarmed man Rankin had shot dead in the city. After killing Kirill Denyakin in 2011, Rankin told authorities he shot the 26-year-old 11 times because he was reaching into his waistband while moving toward the officer. A grand jury declined to charge Rankin for the first fatal shooting. | Chapman was the second unarmed man Rankin had shot dead in the city. After killing Kirill Denyakin in 2011, Rankin told authorities he shot the 26-year-old 11 times because he was reaching into his waistband while moving toward the officer. A grand jury declined to charge Rankin for the first fatal shooting. |
| Rankin, 36, is accused of first-degree murder and illegally using a gun to commit a felony in relation to the shooting of Chapman. He shot the 18-year-old after confronting him over an alleged early-morning shoplifting incident that a Walmart staff member had reported in a 911 call. | Rankin, 36, is accused of first-degree murder and illegally using a gun to commit a felony in relation to the shooting of Chapman. He shot the 18-year-old after confronting him over an alleged early-morning shoplifting incident that a Walmart staff member had reported in a 911 call. |
| Commonwealth’s attorney Stephanie Morales, leading the prosecution of Rankin, told jurors on Thursday she would prove Rankin unnecessarily shot Chapman, who “was unarmed during the course of this incident” and “had no drugs in his system, had no alcohol in his system”. | Commonwealth’s attorney Stephanie Morales, leading the prosecution of Rankin, told jurors on Thursday she would prove Rankin unnecessarily shot Chapman, who “was unarmed during the course of this incident” and “had no drugs in his system, had no alcohol in his system”. |
| “He did this with premeditation and he did this intentionally,” Morales said. She concluded a strikingly brief opening statement by telling jurors: “I want to ask you that you not check your common sense at the door.” | “He did this with premeditation and he did this intentionally,” Morales said. She concluded a strikingly brief opening statement by telling jurors: “I want to ask you that you not check your common sense at the door.” |
| During a more detailed and emphatically argued opening statement, Broccoletti said Rankin shot and killed Chapman only as a “last line of defense” after a Taser shock had failed to subdue the 18-year-old during a struggle between the pair. | During a more detailed and emphatically argued opening statement, Broccoletti said Rankin shot and killed Chapman only as a “last line of defense” after a Taser shock had failed to subdue the 18-year-old during a struggle between the pair. |
| The attorney said his team would prove that Rankin acted in accordance with his training after Chapman chose to escalate a routine stop for a suspected shoplifting into a violent struggle. | The attorney said his team would prove that Rankin acted in accordance with his training after Chapman chose to escalate a routine stop for a suspected shoplifting into a violent struggle. |
| “Ladies and gentlemen, the evidence will show that this was his last resort,” said Broccoletti. “The evidence will prove to you that this was his last line of defense.” | “Ladies and gentlemen, the evidence will show that this was his last resort,” said Broccoletti. “The evidence will prove to you that this was his last line of defense.” |
| Wendy Gunther, the medical examiner who carried out Chapman’s autopsy, described him as “pretty skinny” but said he looked older than 18. | Wendy Gunther, the medical examiner who carried out Chapman’s autopsy, described him as “pretty skinny” but said he looked older than 18. |
| Rankin told Chapman “don’t die on me, don’t die on me” while trying to resuscitate him after the shooting, according to Broccoletti. Rankin, a veteran of the US navy, has since been terminated from his job with the city police department. | Rankin told Chapman “don’t die on me, don’t die on me” while trying to resuscitate him after the shooting, according to Broccoletti. Rankin, a veteran of the US navy, has since been terminated from his job with the city police department. |
| Jurors heard that Rankin arrived at the store in response to a reported shoplifting at about 7.30am, toward the end of his shift. As Chapman walked across the parking lot Gregory Provo, a Walmart security staff member who had called 911, told Rankin: “There’s the guy.” | Jurors heard that Rankin arrived at the store in response to a reported shoplifting at about 7.30am, toward the end of his shift. As Chapman walked across the parking lot Gregory Provo, a Walmart security staff member who had called 911, told Rankin: “There’s the guy.” |
| After driving to catch up with Chapman, the attorney said, Rankin told the 18-year-old: “Hey you, you know why I’m here … I need to get your information.” He took Chapman to his patrol car and then “everything changes”. | After driving to catch up with Chapman, the attorney said, Rankin told the 18-year-old: “Hey you, you know why I’m here … I need to get your information.” He took Chapman to his patrol car and then “everything changes”. |
| Sandra Tynes, a Walmart customer who witnessed part of the incident, told jurors she saw Rankin and Chapman “tussling” and watched them “pushing each other back and forth with their hands”. | Sandra Tynes, a Walmart customer who witnessed part of the incident, told jurors she saw Rankin and Chapman “tussling” and watched them “pushing each other back and forth with their hands”. |
| Broccoletti said a recording made by the camera on Rankin’s Taser will show that he repeatedly told Chapman “get your hands out of your pockets” but that the 18-year-old refused. | Broccoletti said a recording made by the camera on Rankin’s Taser will show that he repeatedly told Chapman “get your hands out of your pockets” but that the 18-year-old refused. |
| “The officer decides at that point he has to take control of the situation,” said Broccoletti. | “The officer decides at that point he has to take control of the situation,” said Broccoletti. |
| But after Rankin used his Taser to shock Chapman – using the so-called “drive stun” mode rather than wired barbs – “Mr Chapman turned from a shoplifter to an assailant, a threat, because he disarmed and assaulted this officer.” | But after Rankin used his Taser to shock Chapman – using the so-called “drive stun” mode rather than wired barbs – “Mr Chapman turned from a shoplifter to an assailant, a threat, because he disarmed and assaulted this officer.” |
| “The dynamics of the situation changed,” said Broccoletti, who claimed Chapman “flailed his arms, knocked the Taser out of the officer’s hands and it flew 20ft to 30ft in the air. He hit the Taser so hard that it stopped working.” | “The dynamics of the situation changed,” said Broccoletti, who claimed Chapman “flailed his arms, knocked the Taser out of the officer’s hands and it flew 20ft to 30ft in the air. He hit the Taser so hard that it stopped working.” |
| Rankin told Chapman repeatedly “get on the ground”, Broccoletti said, but “Mr Chapman does not get on the ground, he charges and lunges at the officer”. | Rankin told Chapman repeatedly “get on the ground”, Broccoletti said, but “Mr Chapman does not get on the ground, he charges and lunges at the officer”. |
| Tynes said that after “two or three shoves apiece”, Rankin “pulled out his gun and said ‘Get on the ground’. And the next thing I saw was smoke coming from the gun, and I said ‘He just shot somebody,’” Tynes said. | Tynes said that after “two or three shoves apiece”, Rankin “pulled out his gun and said ‘Get on the ground’. And the next thing I saw was smoke coming from the gun, and I said ‘He just shot somebody,’” Tynes said. |
| Mannings, the detective, and Portsmouth police lieutenant Kenneth Saucer told jurors Rankin radioed colleagues to say that shots had been fired within two minutes of first radioing to say he was responding to the suspected shoplifting. | Mannings, the detective, and Portsmouth police lieutenant Kenneth Saucer told jurors Rankin radioed colleagues to say that shots had been fired within two minutes of first radioing to say he was responding to the suspected shoplifting. |
| After an arriving officer accidentally kicked the Taser, according to Rankin’s attorneys, the device turned itself back on and recorded Rankin telling Chapman “don’t die on me, don’t die on me” while he carried out chest compressions. | After an arriving officer accidentally kicked the Taser, according to Rankin’s attorneys, the device turned itself back on and recorded Rankin telling Chapman “don’t die on me, don’t die on me” while he carried out chest compressions. |
| A state ballistics expert testified that a lack of gunpowder residue around a bullet entry hole on Chapman’s sweatshirt indicated that the shots had not been fired from “close range” but said she could not be more specific about the likely distance. | A state ballistics expert testified that a lack of gunpowder residue around a bullet entry hole on Chapman’s sweatshirt indicated that the shots had not been fired from “close range” but said she could not be more specific about the likely distance. |
| Chapman’s mother, Sallie, left the court in tears several times during proceedings on Thursday. Yelena Denyakina, the mother of the man Rankin killed in 2011, has traveled from her native Kazakhstan to observe the trial. She also walked out of the courtroom in tears as a graphic photograph of William Chapman’s body was displayed as evidence. | Chapman’s mother, Sallie, left the court in tears several times during proceedings on Thursday. Yelena Denyakina, the mother of the man Rankin killed in 2011, has traveled from her native Kazakhstan to observe the trial. She also walked out of the courtroom in tears as a graphic photograph of William Chapman’s body was displayed as evidence. |
| The case is being considered by 15 jurors and alternates. Nine are women and six are men. Nine are black and six are white. The jury is preparing to visit the scene of the shooting on Friday. The trial is expected to last about seven days, according to Judge Johnny Morrison. | The case is being considered by 15 jurors and alternates. Nine are women and six are men. Nine are black and six are white. The jury is preparing to visit the scene of the shooting on Friday. The trial is expected to last about seven days, according to Judge Johnny Morrison. |