FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. (AP) — Jurors are deciding whether a former Bella Vista police officer used excessive force when he shot and killed a 41-year-old man.
The federal jury will resume deliberations Thursday. They're considering a civil case against 29-year-old Coleman "Duke" Brackney, who shot and killed James Ahern after a high-speed chase.
According to the Northwest Arkansas Times Brackney testified that he fired the fatal shot because he thought the man was going to back over him in his car. Ahern was killed by a shot to the back.
A dash-cam video gives no indication that the back-up lights on Ahern's car were on.
Brackney pleaded guilty to negligent homicide in December 2010. The Bella Vista Police Department determined that Brackney violated policy by firing his gun after Ahern's vehicle passed him.
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