The lawyers for Philando Castile’s mother fired back at an officer’s claim that Castile should be held responsible for his own death.
Officer Jeronimo Yanez filed a motion to dismiss the manslaughter charges against him in connection with his July 6 shooting of Castile during a traffic stop, reports CBS Minnesota.
In the motion to dismiss, Yanez’s lawyers argued that because Castile had marijuana in his blood at the time of death, he should be held responsible for his shooting.
Castile’s mother’s lawyers called Yanez’s argument “ludicrous.”
“This is the designed play for the defense of police officers who kill citizens, always blame the victim,” the attorneys said in a statement.
They also dismissed the argument that Castile had any fault in his death.
“They want to say and have you believe that Philando was the negligent one and somehow that matters in excusing or defending the officer. It does not,” they continued.
Yanez’s lawyers argued that an autopsy report revealed high levels of THC, a chemical present in marijuana, in his blood at the time of the shooting. (RELATED: Officer Who Shot Castile Demands Manslaughter Charges Get Dropped)
The motion argued that because Castile was high at the time, he ignored Yanez’s commands during the stop. This makes him culpably negligent, the motion declared.
Ramsey County Attorney John Choi announced Nov. 16 that Yanez’s use of force against Castile was not justified. He charged Yanez with second degree manslaughter and two felony counts of dangerous discharge of a firearm.
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