Hartford, Connecticut– A white police officer in Connecticut who repeatedly A black man was shot Suffering a mental health crisis while his colleagues tried to defuse the situation, he made his first court appearance on Friday Manslaughter charge.
Joseph Magniano did not speak during the brief hearing in Supreme Court. Later, he hugged the officers who came to support him.
Magnano He was fired By the mayor of Hartford after the fatal shooting of Stephen Jones on February 27. The shooting sparked widespread public outrage and questions about the police department’s policies when responding to people with mental disorders.
Jones, 55, who has a history of mental illness, was carrying a large knife on a city street when officers arrived that winter day.
Police body camera video shows three officers, over the course of several minutes, repeatedly asking Jones to drop a knife. The officers also told him they were there to help.
“Steve, you’re okay. We’re going to make sure you’re okay,” Officer James Prignano says. “Just drop the knife. We’ll go talk to someone, okay?”
Jones cannot be heard saying anything in the videos.
About 12 minutes after the 911 call, Magnano arrived, pulled his gun and yelled at Jones to drop the knife, telling him, “You’re going to get shot.” A woman’s voice was heard screaming: “Don’t shoot him!”
The videos show Brignano pointing at Magnano, appearing to tell him to back off. As Jones slowly walked toward Magnano, the officer issued a final warning before shooting him nine times. Jones died in hospital four days later.
Connecticut Inspector General Elliot Prescott said the investigation found that Magnano “failed to make reasonable attempts to use non-deadly force” and that Jones did not pose an imminent threat.
“To the extent that Magnano personally believed that Jones posed a risk to bystanders in the area with serious physical injury, Magnano made no effort to move the bystander out of any potential way of harm,” the arrest warrant said.
In his report on the incident, Magnano said he “feared that Jones would make a sudden lunge toward an officer or citizen.”
James Rutkowski, president of the local police union, said Magnano was defending himself and other officers. He said the shooting was justified and that Magnaino’s arrest had shaken the ministry and should alarm citizens.
“This arrest warrant represents an absolute attack on the foundations of justice and the constitutional rights of every citizen,” Rutkowski said after the hearing.
When asked about Magnano’s condition, Rutkowski said, “He’s 23 years old. He’s a mess. They told him he was a criminal because he did what he was trained to do.”
Civil rights attorney Ben Crump, who represents Jones’ family, has a different opinion.
“Stevie was in the middle of a mental health crisis, and instead of receiving the care he needed, he was shot nine times,” Crump said at the time of Magnano’s arrest.
More than 60 police officers gathered outside the court to support Magnano. A handful of Jones’ supporters, including local NAACP officials. He also went to court. Jones’ relatives did not attend.