CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Eyewitness News reporter Tina Terry spoke with two jurors after the mistrial of a Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department officer accused of killing an unarmed man.
A judge declared a mistrial Friday afternoon in case of Randall “Wes” Kerrick's voluntary manslaughter trial. Kerrick was accused of fatally shooting Jonathon Ferrell on Sept. 14, 2013.
One of those jurors said there were some very intense moments behind closed doors but they determined early on that they wouldn’t make a decision based on racial lines.
A second juror said he had one question throughout the trial.
“What did Jonathan Ferrell do to warrant death – 10 shots?” Moses Wilson said.
Wilson challenged his fellow jurors to consider that question and presented it to attorneys during jury selection.
“I had said when I became a juror to prosecution and defense, ‘Unless that's answered to my satisfaction, I would only have one decision to make,” Wilson said. “That's why I thought I'd be gone.”
But Wilson was chosen along with 11 others to listen to weeks-worth of evidence and ultimately decide Kerrick's fate.
In the end he said the defense failed to answer his question.
“No one ever answered what (Ferrell) did,” Wilson said. “They only answered what he didn’t do. He didn't put his hands up, he didn't stop crawling.”
Wilson came to the conclusion that Kerrick used excessive force when he shot and killed Ferrell.
He was also troubled by the fact that Kerrick turned off his dash cam before the shooting and was troubled by what he didn't hear on the video that was captured.
“No sounds of commands were heard at that time, none,” Wilson said.
Wilson voted with three others in favor of convicting Kerrick, but eight others voted not guilty, leading to that mistrial.
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