MIAMI (WSVN) - The jury in the trial of a North Miami Police officer who allegedly shot an unarmed therapist in 2016 have begun their deliberations.
Prosecutors and defense attorneys alike made their final push to jurors at the Richard E. Gerstein Justice Building in Miami, Thursday.
Behavioral therapist Charles Kinsey, the man shot in the viral video, took the witness stand for a second time as prosecutors closed out their final arguments to convince jurors that the shooting was not justified.
“Just before you heard that first whoosh, did you grab the toy in a manner and point it in any direction?” a prosecutor asked.
“No,” Kinsey replied.
Thursday was the final day of tough testimony in the trial of North Miami Police Officer Jonathan Aledda.
Aledda is accused of crossing the line when he shot an unarmed Kinsey in July 2016.
Aledda faces charges of attempted manslaughter and negligence.
Moments before those shots were fired, cellphone video showed Kinsey on the ground with his hands up telling officers his client with autism was holding a toy truck.
“Did he have anything else in his hand besides this one object?” a prosecutor questioned.
“That’s all he had in his hand,” Kinsey testified.
The defense went on the offensive.
“You could not control Arnoldo, and you couldn’t control police, and you said a prayer with your head laying down?” Aledda’s defense asked.
“Yes,” Kinsey replied.
Throughout the trial, the defense has argued that Aledda was doing what he thought was right in a chaotic situation.
“He’s justified his action. He’s a police officer on duty doing his job,” defense attorney Doug Hartmen said.
Meanwhile, the prosecution cried foul and said officers closest to Kinsey weren’t in fear for their lives and other officers had radioed that there wasn’t a gun.
“Mr. Kinsey is yelling, ‘Hey! I’m a behavioral therapist. There’s no need for guns. We’re unarmed!'” a prosecutor said.
The jury did not come to a decision Thursday night and resumed deliberations on Friday at 9 a.m.
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