Cop Acquitted in Fatal Shooting of Philando Castile

Jeronimo Yanez cleared of manslaughter, other charges
By Evann Gastaldo,  Newser Staff
Posted Jun 16, 2017 3:35 PM CDT
Cop Acquitted in Fatal Shooting of Philando Castile
In this July 25, 2016, file photo, a memorial including a photo of Philando Castile adorns the gate to the governor's residence in St. Paul, Minn., protesting the July 6, 2016 shooting death of Castile by St. Anthony police officer Jeronimo Yanez.   (AP Photo/Jim Mone, File)

The Minnesota police officer who fatally shot black motorist Philando Castile in July has been acquitted of manslaughter and two lesser charges, the AP reports. Jeronimo Yanez shot Castile five times during a traffic stop seconds after Castile informed him he was carrying a gun; he testified that Castile was in the process of pulling the gun out against Yanez's instructions, but prosecutors said Yanez never saw the gun, Castile was not a threat, and Yanez overreacted. News of Castile's death went viral because video of the immediate aftermath was live-streamed on Facebook by his girlfriend. (More Philando Castile stories.)

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