The testimony from two expert witnesses, the first, a nationally recognized firearms trainer and the other a former assistant U.S. attorney were delivered during the second day of evidentiary Police Board hearings for Officer Robert Rialmo.
A former assistant U.S. attorney testified Tuesday that a "lack of preparedness" on the part of Chicago Police Officer Robert Rialmo led to the officer fatally shooting Quintonio LeGrier and Bettie Jones in December 2015.
A short time later, though, a nationally known use-of-force expert underpinned testimony he gave the previous year, saying that Rialmo had no choice but to open fire and that any reasonable officer in his position would have committed the same action despite the shooting killing of Jones, an innocent bystander who opened the door for police.
"Because a bad result occurs, It doesn't mean someone did something wrong," said use-of-force and firearms expert itness Emanuel Kapelsohn. "The person who did something wrong here was Quintonio LeGrier."
Expert witness, Kapelsohn who testified in a civil trial last year that was brought on by the lawsuit filed against the city and Rialmo by LeGrier's estate claimed Rialmo demonstrated above average marksmanship when he shot LeGrier in December 2015.
"It’s very good shooting, - it's tragic it turned out this way," said Kapelsohn.
The testimony came during the second day of evidentiary hearings held by the Chicago Police Board. The testimony presented this week will be used by the full board to determine Rialmo’s future with the Police Department. A decision isn’t expected for several months.
Events leading up to the shooting began in the early hours of Decmber 26th, 2015.
Rialmo and his partner, Anthony LaPalermo, responded to calls of a domestic disturbance at a two-flat at 4710 W. Erie St.
Jones, the LeGriers' downstairs neighbor, opened the door for the officers and told them
the commotion was coming from the unit above hers. LeGrier's father had barricaded himself in his bedroom while his son was trying to get in to the bedrrom with an aluminum baseball bat.
Seconds after the officers' arrival, LeGrier charged down the stairs and
swung the bat at Rialmo as the officer stood on the front porch. Rialmo backpedaled
and fired seven or eight shots, killing both LeGrier and Jones, 55.
It was the first shooting death by a CPD officer after the release of the Laquan McDonald shooting video. A decision awaits.
https://www.change.org/p/no-grand-jury-in-the-killings-of-bettie-jones-and-quintonio-legrier
https://witnessdirectory.com/signup.php
