A white former Ohio police officer is on trial for murder for the fatal shooting of an unarmed Black man. Jury selection began on Monday, Oct. 21, for former Columbus Police Department officer Adam Coy, who prosecutors say fatally shot 47-year-old Andre Hill as Hill came out of a friend’s garage with a cellphone in his hand.
Coy had been responding to a noise complaint when he encountered Hill. Police body camera footage showed Hill with a cellphone in his left hand and the view of his right hand obstructed.
An autopsy later revealed that Hill was shot four times by Coy. Meanwhile, Coy reportedly waited 10 minutes before rendering medical aid to Hill as he lay on the ground bleeding and later died at the hospital. Coy was fired over the deadly incident.
However, Coy’s defense team argues that the former Columbus officer thought Hill had a gun in his right hand. Weeks after the shooting, the city of Columbus reached a $10 million settlement with Hill’s family, the largest in the town’s history.
The Columbus City Council also passed Andre’s Law, which mandates that all police officers render immediate medical attention to an injured suspect.
Coy has pleaded not guilty to the charges of murder, reckless homicide and other offenses. He reportedly had more than three dozen complaints against him during his time as a police officer, which included a dozen complaints over use of force.
