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Philando Castile: police officer charged with manslaughter over shooting death Philando Castile: police officer charged with manslaughter over shooting death
(35 minutes later)
The police officer who fatally shot Philando Castile has been charged with second-degree manslaughter, local prosecutors announced on Wednesday.The police officer who fatally shot Philando Castile has been charged with second-degree manslaughter, local prosecutors announced on Wednesday.
Ramsey County attorney John Choi announced the manslaughter charge and other charges more than four months after Castile, 32, was killed in a St Paul suburb. St Anthony police officer Jeronimo Yanez will have his first court appearance on Friday, Choi said. Ramsey County attorney John Choi announced the manslaughter charge and two other felony charges more than four months after Castile, 32, was killed in a St Paul suburb. St Anthony police officer Jeronimo Yanez will have his first court appearance on Friday, Choi said. Yanez was also charged with two counts of felony discharge of a firearm.
Castile’s death was among a number of police killings of black Americans that spurred protests and called for police reforms across the country. The aftermath of the shooting was live streamed on Facebook by his girlfriend, Diamond Reynolds. The video, which did not capture the shooting itself, quickly went viral amid a contentious nationwide conversation about police use of deadly force. Castile’s death was among a number of police killings of black Americans that spurred protests and led to calls for police reforms across the country. The aftermath of the shooting was live-streamed on Facebook by his girlfriend, Diamond Reynolds. The video, which did not capture the shooting itself, quickly went viral amid a contentious nationwide conversation about police use of deadly force.
“I would submit that no reasonable officer knowing seeing and hearing what Officer Yanez did at the time would have used deadly force under these circumstances” Choi said Wednesday. Choi did not release the dashboard camera footage which captured the entire shooting, but recounted in great detail the dialogue and events preceding Castile’s death. He described a compliant and law-abiding motorist who calmly informed Yanez that he was armed with a concealed weapon before Yanez pulled the trigger. Yanez suspected Castile of being involved in a nearby robbery, but after running his license place and finding that the car was not stolen and the driver – Castile – was not wanted on any warrants, he decided to pull over Castile because of a broken tail light on his car, Choi said.
Castile “immediately complied” when Yanez initiated the traffic stop, pulling over his car just eight seconds after Yanez turned on his lights, according to Choi. Yanez then informed Castile of his broken taillight, and asked for his driver’s license and registration.
Choi then recounted the final moments of Castile’s life: “Calmly and in a non-threatening manner, [Castile] informed Officer Yanez, ‘Sir, I have to tell you that I do have a firearm on me.’”
Castile muttered his final words – “I wasn’t reaching for it” – as Yanez continued to scream at him to put the gun down.
“Based upon the evidence we believe that Castile never removed nor tried to remove his handgun from his front, right pocket,” Choi said on Wednesday. “I would submit that no reasonable officer knowing seeing and hearing what Officer Yanez did at the time would have used deadly force under these circumstances.
Paramedics found Castile’s gun in his shorts pocket, Choi said.