TOWSON, Md. (WJZ) — An
emotional day in court, as a Baltimore County police officer is tried on
manslaughter charges. Supporters on both sides disrupt the court.
Derek Valcourt has more on the
case against Officer James Laboard.
Emotions are still so raw, that
the victim’s brother began screaming at the accused officer in court.
When friends of 17-year-old
Chris Brown threw a rock at the door of off-duty Baltimore police officer James
Laboard’s Randallstown home last June, Laboard ran out and gave chase.
Catching Brown in some brushes,
a struggle followed.
“There’s two guys on the front
lawn and one of them is laying on the other. He said the other one tried to rob
him,” a caller told 911.
While on the phone with 911, a
caller ran out to speak to Laboard, who was still restraining Brown.
Caller: “Are you a cadet sir?
You’re a police officer? He’s a police officer, an officer needs assistance. He
said tell them to please hurry.”
911 Operator: “Is he still on
top of the subject?”
Caller: “Yes he is.”
Brown died of asphyxiation.
Defense attorneys are trying to convince a jury it was an accident.
As a police training expert testified
on Laboard’s use of force, Christopher Brown’s brother began screaming
expletives at the officer, saying: “You should have stayed in the house.”
That’s when one of Laboard’s
supporters responded, shouting back: “It was [Brown] who should have stayed
home.”
Both of them were thrown out of
court. Brown family friend Ceandra Scott saw it all.
“This is his brother, his
little brother, that he was killed the way he was and he’s been dealing with it
for a year,” Scott said. “And then he said what he said. But one thing
encouraging about the family and Chris is they’re prayerful. They are extremely
spiritual.”
Prosecutors say that
Christopher Brown died when that police officer used an unauthorized neck
restraint. The defense attorneys are trying to say that Laboard’s use of force
was justified.
A jury will now have to decide
if that’s the case.
The officer faces charges of
manslaughter and involuntary manslaughter.
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