Officer's defense can bring up Philando Castile's marijuana use, judge rules [View all]

Evidence of marijuana use by Philando Castile on the day he was fatally shot by a St. Anthony police officer can be used at the officer’s manslaughter trial, a Ramsey County judge ruled Tuesday.

District Judge William H. Leary III’s decision was a key for officer Jeronimo Yanez’s defense team as they prepare for his trial to begin May 30, according to Earl Gray, one of the officer’s three attorneys.

“That was a big issue of us,” Gray said. “It’s our position that the evidence will be overwhelming that (Castile and his girlfriend, Diamond Reynolds) had been smoking marijuana that day. … And that explains why when … officer Yanez said, ‘Don’t reach for (your gun). Don’t do it.’ … Castile reached for his gun anyway.”

It was after Castile, a 32-year-old black man, reached for his gun that Yanez, fearing for his life, fired seven bullets into his car, hitting Castile, according to his attorneys.

Read more: http://www.twincities.com/2017/05/16/judge-assault-charge-pending-against-castiles-girlfriend-not-relevant-to-legal-issues-of-his-death/