Officer Mohamed Noor's attorney Thomas Plunkett confirms the officer is currently in custody, and the Hennepin County Jail roster lists the charges against Noor as third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter.
Tuesday March 20, 2018
MINNEAPOLIS - Minneapolis Police Officer Mohamed Noor turned himself in to authorities Tuesday after a warrant was issued for his arrest in connection with the death of Justine Damond.
Noor's attorney Thomas Plunkett confirms the officer is currently in custody, and the Hennepin County Jail roster lists the charges against Noor as third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter.
According to the warrant that spells out the charges against Noor:
"There's no evidence that, in that short timeframe, Officer Noor encountered, appreciated, investigated or confirmed a threat that justified the decision to use deadly force. Instead, Officer Noor recklessly and intentionally fired his handgun from the passenger seat. A location at which he would have been less able than Officer (Matthew) Harrity to see and hear events on the other side of the squad car."
The warrant goes on to say that Harrity did pull out his gun, but held it to his side and didn't fire. Statements from Harrity say both he, and Officer Noor, felt a threat.
Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman has scheduled a news conference Tuesday afternoon in the Grand Jury Room of the courthouse to discuss his charging decision. KARE 11 will have multiple crews there and plans to carry the proceedings live. A community action group called "Justice for Justine" has announced it will hold a rally tonight at 6:30 p.m. at the intersection of 50th and Washburn Avenue South.
Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman speaks about the charges against Minneapolis police officer Mohamed Noor at a news conference on Tuesday, March 20, 2018 - JERRY HOLT, STAR TRIBUNE
Damond's family said in a written statement that they're pleased that Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman decided to bring charges. They say they hope a strong case will be presented and Noor will be convicted.
Their statement says justice "demands accountability for those responsible for recklessly killing the fellow citizens they are sworn to protect."
"Justine’s family in Australia and the US applaud today’s decision to criminally charge Officer Noor with Justine’s murder as one step toward justice for this iniquitous act," reads the full family statement. "While we waited over eight months to come to this point, we are pleased with the way a grand jury and County Attorney Mike Freeman appear to have been diligent and thorough in investigating and ultimately determining that these charges are justified. We remain hopeful that a strong case will be presented by the prosecutor, backed by verified and detailed forensic evidence, and that this will lead to a conviction. No charges can bring our Justine back. However, justice demands accountability for those responsible for recklessly killing the fellow citizens they are sworn to protect, and today’s actions reflect that."
Noor fatally shot Damond on July 15, 2017 while responding to her call of a possible sexual assault in progress.
According to the warrant, Officer Harrity told investigators that he heard a noise that startled him and Officer Noor. Harrity said he perceived that his life was in danger and unholstered his gun, holding it to his rib cage, pointing it downward. He told investigators Damond approached their squad car from the rear driver's side then saw Officer Noor with his right arm extended. Harrity looked out the window and saw a woman, later identified as Damond, put her hands on a gunshot wound on the left side of her abdomen and say, "I'm dying" or "I'm dead," the warrant states.
She was pronounced dead on the scene.
The death of the popular neighborhood organizer and activist triggered anger and action across the community, eventually leading to the resignation of Minneapolis Police Chief Janee Harteau. On Tuesday, Harteau posted a statement on Twitter regarding the charges against Noor.
"Justine Damond’s family deserves answers and they deserve justice. As I originally stated Justine didn’t have to die," Harteau tweeted. "This tragedy was the result of the actions of one officer, of which we still don’t know why. I ask people to continue to support the officers that provide selfless and honorable service every day to the citizens of Minneapolis."
While Officer Harrity cooperated with BCA investigators in the wake of Damond's death, Noor refused to share his side of the story, and was not compelled to by law.
In September, the BCA turned its investigation over to Freeman's office for consideration of criminal charges against Noor. The county attorney promised a decision by the end of 2017 but it did not come. In December, a cell phone video was released of Freeman at a holiday party, with activists asking him why Noor had not been charged yet. Freeman said that he didn't have enough evidence to charge Noor, blaming investigators who "haven't done their job." The interaction was recorded without Freeman's knowledge and was posted extensively on social media.
In late January, Damond family attorney Bob Bennett told KARE 11 that a grand jury had been called to hear testimony in the case, a development the Hennepin County Attorney's Office would not confirm, citing the secrecy of the proceedings.
That testimony began in February, with more than 30 Minneapolis police officers subpoenaed to testify, including Officer Mohamed Noor's partner, Officer Harrity.
Officer Noor was hired by the Minneapolis Police Department on March 23, 2015 and had no prior law enforcement experience. He completed training at the Minneapolis PD Academy and was trained in numerous scenarios, intended to teach officers how to identify a threat, if any, before shooting.