The long-awaited police dash-cam video has been released to the public showing former St. Anthony Police Officer Jeronimo Yanez shooting Philando Castile during a traffic stop last July. On Friday, Yanez was acquitted of manslaughter charges following nearly 30 hours of deliberation.
D-F-L Senator Jeff Hayden from Minneapolis says after watching the video of Officer Yanez shooting Castile, he believes officer Yanez panicked.
Hayden says he is critical of the jury’s “not guilty” verdict after watching the dash-cam video. “I can’t see myself as a juror how I would ever not think that there needed to be justice and some punishment… to the officer for shooting that young man.”
Minneapolis N-A-A-C-P President Jason Sole says the dash-cam video validated everything they’ve been saying all along..
“Philando shouldn’t have died, man. We need justice for him. We need justice for Philando for real. That cannot be legal. It just can’t be legal.”
Defense attorneys for Officer Yanez say he offered clear commands to Castile that one QUOTE “would expect from an officer who sees a gun being produced after ordering a motorist not to touch a gun and to comply with his commands.”
Meanwhile, the family of Philando Castile plans to sue Jeronimo Yanez. No timeline has been offered by attorneys. Following Friday’s jury verdict, Yanez was relieved of his duties with the St. Anthony Police Department.
Full length interviews:
Minneapolis NAACP President Jason Sole:
DFL State Senator Jeff Hayden from Minneapolis: