Porch shooting trial moves into defense phase; suburban Detroit police defend investigation

Theodore Wafer pauses at the end of Day 3 of his trial, Monday, July 28, 2014, Detroit, Mich. Wafer is the Dearborn Heights homeowner charged in the shooting death of Renisha McBride. (AP Photo/The Detroit News, Clarence Tabb Jr.) (The Associated Press)

The defense is to present its side in the trial of a suburban Detroit man charged in the fatal shooting of a young woman on his porch last fall.

Prosecutors rested their case Wednesday after five days of evidence and testimony against 55-year-old Theodore Wafer of Dearborn Heights. He's charged with second-degree murder in the death of 19-year-old Renisha McBride.

Testimony resumes Thursday. Wafer is claiming self-defense.

Defense lawyers have tried to cast the police investigation in a poor light, but Detective Sgt. Steve Gurka has defended his work.

It's not publicly known whether Wafer will testify. But experts believe it's necessary if he wants to show jurors that he reasonably acted out of fear last Nov. 2 when McBride was pounding at his door.

https://www.foxnews.com/us/porch-shooting-trial-moves-into-defense-phase-suburban-detroit-police-defend-investigation