Kerrick Trial: DNA Analyst Says Ferrell’s Blood on Officer’s Gun
[gtxvideo vid=”8G3P7F6j” playlist=”” pid=”Bbt3TRDe” thumb=”http://player.gtxcel.com/thumbs/8G3P7F6j.jpg” vtitle=”blood on gun”]
CHARLOTTE, NC — Jurors will hear closing arguments Tuesday in the high profile trial of CMPD Officer Wes Kerrick.
He faces a charge of voluntary manslaughter after he shot Jonathan Ferrell ten times in September 2013.
Ferrell was unarmed. He had just crashed his car and began banging on a mother’s door when she called 911, fearing he was trying to break into her house.
By Monday afternoon, the defense rested its case with CMPD DNA analyst Eve Rossi. She testified Ferrell’s blood was on the officer’s gun.
It was the defense’s effort to back up what Kerrick testified last week. He told jurors Thursday he thought Ferrell was a home invasion suspect who was trying to take his gun.
Rossi pointed out Ferrell’s blood on Kerrick’s uniform. That is consistent with Kerrick’s claim that Ferrell ended up on top of him after he fired the first shots. He says Ferrell kept advancing.
“No matter what I did he wouldn’t stop,” said Kerrick. “I wasn’t sure how many rounds I fired. None of them affected him in any way.”
In closing arguments, Prosecutors are expected to tell the jury Ferrell just survived a car crash, was dying in that moment and trying to stop the repeated gun fire.
Ferrell’s mother, Georgia Ferrell, spoke after the defense rested its case.
“Whatever the court decides,” said Georgia Ferrell. “I do want justice, but there’s not just justice on earth.”
Kerrick’s family told WCCB Charlotte off camera they are satisfied with how the defense presented its case.
