A black teen fatally shot by a white narcotics
detective, sparking weeks of protests, wasn't the dealer the officer
had arranged to meet for an undercover drug buy, witnesses said Friday
at the officer's murder trial. On Jan. 3, officers were waiting near a
liquor store for a dealer whom narcotics Detective McKenzie Mattingly
had contacted by phone that night. While Mattingly sat in an undercover
vehicle, he was approached by Michael Newby, 19, and two other men who
wanted to sell him crack, witnesses said. Minutes later, Newby was
shot three times in the back; he died at a hospital the next morning.
Mattingly's attorneys have argued Newby made a gesture that signaled he
was reaching for a weapon. Prosecutors, however, said Mattingly never
mentioned Newby had a gun, and officers didn't know Newby was armed
until after he was shot. Kyle Willet, a detective who worked undercover
with Mattingly, said his partner was "pale-faced, somewhat distraught
and wide-eyed" after the shooting. The detective put his hands on top
of his head and said "Oh my God," Mitch Gibson testified. The trial is
expected to last another week. [more ]
Mattingly Supporters Say Protestors Have Tainted Jury Pool [more ]
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