ST. PAUL, Minn. – The Latest in the manslaughter trial of a Minnesota police officer who fatally shot a black motorist during a traffic stop (all times local):
1:50 p.m.
A Minnesota jury is weighing the fate of a police officer charged with manslaughter in the shooting last July of a black motorist.
Jeronimo Yanez, a 29-year-old Latino officer, is charged in the July 6 death of Philando Castile, who was black. Yanez shot Castile five times seconds after Castile told him he was carrying a gun. Castile had a permit for the weapon.
A 15-member jury was pared to 12 after closing arguments wrapped up and three alternates were dismissed. The final group of a dozen jurors includes both black jurors who heard testimony. The jury includes no Latino members.
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1:40 p.m.
An attorney for a Minnesota police officer charged in the shooting death of a black motorist last year says the officer "did what he had to do."
Earl Gray urged a jury to clear officer Jeronimo (yeh-RON'-ih-moh) Yanez of a manslaughter charge in the July death of Philando Castile. Yanez shot the 32-year-old school cafeteria worker seconds after Castile informed him he had a gun during a traffic stop.
Gray used his closing argument to tell the jury that Yanez had plenty of justification for shooting. He says Yanez legitimately thought Castile was a robbery suspect. He says Castile was high on marijuana and didn't follow Yanez's orders.
And he says Yanez saw a gun and feared for his life.
Gray says the case is a classic example why guns and drugs don't mix.
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Noon
A prosecutor is arguing that a Minnesota police officer never saw a gun before he shot and killed a black motorist last year during a traffic stop.
Prosecutor Jeff Paulsen is asking a jury to convict officer Jeronimo (yeh-RON'-ih-moh) Yanez of manslaughter in the July death of Philando Castile, who was shot seconds after telling the officer he was carrying a gun.
Yanez, who is Latino, testified last week that he saw a gun and that the driver, who was black, ignored his commands not to pull it out.
Paulsen reminded the jury that a bullet hit Castile in what would have been his trigger finger — but there was no bullet damage around his pocket where he had the gun.
He also argued Yanez could have taken steps short of shooting.
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8:20 a.m.
A jury will soon be deliberating the fate of a Minnesota police officer charged with manslaughter in last July's fatal shooting of a black motorist.
Closing arguments were expected at midmorning in the trial of police Officer Jeronimo (yeh-RON'-ih-moh) Yanez. The 29-year-old Latino officer is charged in the death of Philando Castile, a school cafeteria worker, during a traffic stop last July in a St. Paul suburb.
Castile was shot seconds after he informed Yanez he was carrying a gun.
Yanez capped the trial's first week of testimony on Friday by taking the stand to say that Castile disregarded his commands not to pull out his gun.
The Ramsey County judge hearing the case hasn't said in open court how long each side will get for closing arguments.
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12:11 a.m.
Closing arguments are set for Monday in a Minnesota police officer's manslaughter trial in the death of a black motorist.
St. Anthony police Officer Jeronimo (yeh-RON'-ih-moh) Yanez is charged with killing Philando Castile following a traffic stop last July in a St. Paul suburb. Castile had informed Yanez when the officer approached Castile's car that he was carrying a gun.
The shooting drew widespread attention after Castile's girlfriend streamed the gruesome aftermath on Facebook.
The jury is expected to begin considering the case later Monday after just five days of testimony, evidence and arguments.
The trial was capped by Yanez's first public words on the case since Castile died. He testified forcefully Friday that he saw Castile's gun and that Castile disregarded his commands not to pull it out of his pocket.
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