Nouman Raja sits between defense attorney Scott Richardson, left, and paralegal Debi Stratton as attorney Richard Lubin gives his closing arguments in Raja’s trial, Wednesday, March 6, 2019 in West Palm Beach, Fla. Raja, a former Palm Beach Gardens police officer, is charged with the fatal 2015 shooting of stranded motorist Corey Jones. (Lannis Waters/Palm Beach Post via AP, Pool)
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — Jury deliberations are headed into their second day in the trial of a fired Florida police officer charged with killing a stranded black motorist.
The jurors will return to Palm Beach County courthouse Thursday to resume deliberating the fate of Nouman Raja. The 41-year-old former Palm Beach Gardens officer is charged with manslaughter and attempted murder for the 2015 shooting of 31-year-old Corey Jones.
Raja, who is of South Asian descent, was in plain clothes when he drove an unmarked van up to Jones’ SUV, which had broken down on a highway off ramp before dawn.
Prosecutors say an audio recording shows Raja never identified himself, making Jones believe he was being robbed. They say that caused Jones to pull his legally possessed handgun. Raja shot him.
His attorneys say the shooting was justified.
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