A jury Friday acquitted Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Deputy Luke Liu of voluntary manslaughter for fatally shooting an unarmed man, reports LAist.
Liu wiped tears from his eyes as he bent forward with his hands in his face and his attorney held him after hearing the verdict.
“Mr. Liu, you can put this behind you,” Superior Court Judge Mark S. Arnold said, according to CBS LA.
In 2018, he became the first member of law enforcement in LA County to be prosecuted since 2000.
Liu spotted Francisco Garcia in a stolen vehicle outside a 7-11 and pulled up behind him. Garcia attempted to drive away at 5 miles per hour before being struck by four of seven shots from Liu.
Liu said he thought Garcia had grabbed his gun which turned out be incorrect.
The prosecutor called the shooting “unreasonable,” “unnecessary” and “illegal.”
The defense argued Liu acted “protecting his own” and was “acting to stop a threat.”
“You know what you did,” Garcia’s mother Maria Ruiz Partida said to Liu as she walked out of the courtroom.
Since Liu, two other law enforcement officers have been charged with shootings.
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