The upcoming trial for a St. Anthony police officer accused of recklessly shooting and killing Philando Castile during a traffic stop in Falcon Heights last summer should take place in Ramsey County, prosecutors say.
In another countermotion filed this week in the manslaughter case pending against Officer Jeronimo Yanez, prosecuting attorneys argued that the defense had failed to meet the burden of proof necessary to justify moving the trial out of the metro area.
The defense had asked the court to grant a change-of-venue for the trial on the grounds that relentless and biased media reporting on the case, as well as remarks made by state representatives, had compromised Yanez’s ability to get a fair trial in the Twin Cities.
“The defendant has not met his burden to show that prejudicial pretrial publicity has been so pervasive that he cannot receive a fair trial in Ramsey County,” prosecutors argued in the motion filed Wednesday. “Although there have been significant writings, reporting and electronic discussion about the facts of this case… that alone does not satisfy the requirements (for a change of venue).”
Prosecuting attorneys pointed out that online news sites widened the reach of media coverage of the shooting far behind the Twin Cities-area, so the defense could be faced with the same issue regardless of the trial’s location.
It also stated that should either side find that it’s too difficult to get an unbiased jury during jury selection, they can ask the court to consider a change-of-venue at that moment.
The countermotion was one of several filed this week by prosecutors in response to earlier requests made of the court by the defense.
Other motions argued that the statement Yanez gave about the shooting to Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension officers should be admissible at trial, as should the testimony of a national expert on police practices that the state relied on when it decided to charge Yanez.
Yanez shot Castile seven times shortly after pulling him over July 6 because he reportedly believed Castile resembled a suspect in a recent armed robbery. The 32-year-old St. Paul public school worker died at the scene. Castile reportedly told the officer during the stop that he had a gun with him.
Yanez has maintained, through his attorneys, that Castile was reaching for his weapon when Yanez opted to shoot him out of fear for his life.
Prosecutors dispute that claim and maintain that Yanez acted recklessly when he fired.
Castile was licensed to carry a firearm.
Yanez faces one count of second-degree manslaughter and two felony counts of dangerous discharge of a weapon.
The shooting sparked protests around the Twin Cities last summer.
A hearing on the motions is scheduled to take place Tuesday.