A former Ohio police officer, Adam Coy, is set to face trial for the shooting death of Andre Hill, a Black man, nearly four years ago. The incident occurred on December 22, 2020, when Coy, responding to a noise complaint, encountered Hill emerging from a friend's garage holding a cellphone in his left hand. Though Hill's right hand was out of view, Coy's lawyers argue that the officer believed he saw a silver revolver, leading to the fatal shooting. Jury selection is scheduled for Monday.
Coy, who was dismissed from the Columbus police force after the shooting, has pleaded not guilty to murder and reckless homicide charges. Police bodycam footage showed a delay of about ten minutes before officers administered aid to Hill, who was later pronounced dead at the hospital. The case has drawn significant attention, contributing to the ousting of the police chief and prompting Columbus to pass Andre's Law, which mandates immediate medical care by officers.
Coy has an extensive record of complaints, with over three dozen filed since he joined the department in 2002; a dozen of these pertain to use of force, though most were deemed "unfounded" or "not sustained." Despite attempts by Coy's legal team to relocate the trial due to public scrutiny, the trial will proceed in Columbus. In the wake of Hill's death, Columbus reached a historic $10 million settlement with Hill's family, who described him as a devoted father and grandfather and a talented chef and restaurant manager who had long hoped to own his own restaurant. (This story was generated by Newser's AI chatbot. Source: the AP)