Kerrick Trial: State and Defense Give Closing Arguments

CHARLOTTE, NC —  “The mere fact that someone is running at you and you don’t know what they have in their hands is not a green light to shoot them,” said State Prosecutor Harris.

The state closed reinforcing the main issue at dispute–excessive force–and saying Officer Wes Kerrick used it without giving Jonathan Ferrell a chance to live.

“Tell me where he’s patting his thighs. Let me know where you see the officers say anything like ‘What’s your name? Why are you in the neighborhood?’ Anything,” said Harris.

The defense says the case is about split-second decisions, and that Jonathan Ferrell never made any attempt to ask for help, instead charging towards police.

“It’s about failing to comply with law enforcement commands: ‘Stop, stop!’ I told you, Officer Little told you, ‘I told him to stop’. If he stopped, we are not here,” said Defense Attorney George Laughrun.

Reinforcing that Kerrick was doing his duty as an officer and reacted in self defense, the defense repeated that officer Kerrick believed he was encountering a breaking and entering suspect who posed a danger and followed his training.

“Four seconds. Does that make sense for him to reholster and go hands-on for someone who had blown through a taser?” said Laughrun.

Both sides ended asking the jury for the verdict they believe is fair.

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“How do you police the police? By finding the defendant guilty of using excessive force and killing Jonathan Ferrell,” said Harris.

“Go back there and find this man not guilty, let him to back home with his family,” said Laughrun.

There were objections on both sides in closing arguments. Once the judge had to correct the defense, and again on the state side when the prosecutor said they did not call Officer Little to the stand because they don’t call witnesses who lie.