The police department fired the officer who fatally shot Philando Castile Friday, the same day that a jury cleared him of all manslaughter charges.
St. Anthony Police Department will enact a “voluntary separation agreement” with Officer Jeronimo Yanez, the officer who shot Castile seven times during a traffic stop, reports the Star Tribune.
“The City of St. Anthony has concluded that the public will be best served if Officer Yanez is no longer a police officer in our city,” the department said in a statement. “The city intends to offer Officer Yanez a voluntary separation agreement to help him transition to another career other than being a St. Anthony officer.”
As the city negotiates the agreement, Yanez will not be going back to his job, the city added.
A jury of 12 jurors, two of them black, decided to clear Yanez of his manslaughter and reckless discharge of a firearm charges. Prosecutors argued that Yanez acted too hastily during the exchange, while defense pointed to Castile’s previous marijuana use and said that Yanez feared for his life.
“None of this would have happened but for Philando Castile,” defense attorney Earl Gray said. “[Yanez] sees the gun and [Castile] doesn’t follow orders. That’s enough to pull your gun out and end the threat.”
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