CLEVELAND – Prosecutors are asking a judge to consider convicting a Cleveland police officer of lesser charges for his role in the 137-bullet shooting deaths of two unarmed people after a high-speed chase.
Testimony in Michael Brelo's voluntary-manslaughter trial ended Thursday. A county judge says he'll announce his verdict in the next several weeks.
The motion filed by prosecutors Friday asks the judge to consider convicting Brelo on less serious charges of involuntary manslaughter or aggravated assault in the 2012 deaths of driver Timothy Russell and passenger Malissa Williams, each shot more than 20 times.
Brelo was among more than a dozen officers. He's accused of firing the final 15 shots.
The 31-year-old Brelo faces a maximum of 22 years in prison if convicted of the voluntary-manslaughter charges.
An attorney for Brelo has declined to comment about the motion.
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