A North Texas police officer has been indicted by a grand jury on a manslaughter count after he shot an unarmed man 41 times.
According to CBS:
The Dallas County grand jury indicted Patrick Tuter, 33, in the August 2012 death of Michael Vincent Allen. Tuter was working as a Garland officer when he became involved in a high-speed chase with Allen that ended in nearby Mesquite.
Tuter fired on the vehicle driven by the unarmed 25-year-old Wylie resident. Tuter was fired in March after an investigation determined he violated department policies on pursuits and use of force.
Police video showed the pursuit of a white pickup truck resembling one involved in a previous chase in a nearby town. After a half hour chase at high speeds, police cornered the truck in a cul-de-sac in nearby Mesquite. Tuter opened fire on the truck, reloading at least once, wounding Allen three times. Police initially said Tuter opened fire after Allen rammed a patrol car trying to pin him into the dead-end street. However, police dashboard video later showed that it was Tuter’s patrol car that crashed into the truck, not the other way around.
Tuter’s attorney, John Snider, claims that Allen’s actions led Tuter to believe he was armed. But an attorney for Allen’s family says the shooting is part of a disturbing trend of police brutality.
Tuter faces up to 20 years in prison.
SOURCE: CBS | PHOTO CREDIT: Police Department
