Court Documents: Prosecutors Say Noor Showed a Reckless Disregard For Human Life (Damond murder)

KSTP.com ^ | 9/5/18 | Ana Lastra

[ButThreeLeftsDo]

Hennepin County prosecutors say a now-former Minneapolis police officer who shot and killed Justine Damond in July 2017 showed a reckless disregard for human life, citing his response to previous police calls and his training records.

Prosecutors filed documents Wednesday detailing Mohamed Noor's psychological evaluation prior to becoming an officer and his actions during a call hours before he killed Damond.

Those training records are contained in the new filings. They offer the first glimpse of Noor's behavior and personal insights while he was preparing to become an officer.

During Noor's 2015 psychological evaluation, he self-reported that "... he disliked people, disliked being around people, and was disinterested in interacting with people," according to department documents cited by prosecutors.

Prosecutors argue the evaluation "illustrates his indifference for human life."

Noor is charged with third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter in last summer's shooting of Damond in an alley behind her home near Washburn and 50th Street.

Damond had called 911 to report a possible sexual assault.

Less than two hours earlier, Noor and his partner, officer Matthew Harrity, had responded to the same area after multiple calls about a woman possibly suffering from dementia, a review of police records showed.

But nearly four minutes after arriving at the scene, officers cleared the call to go to dinner.

When questioned after the shooting, Harrity said he did not draw any connection between the calls about the woman in distress and the report about a possible sex assault.

"This lack of investigative curiosity and indifference to the woman or women who were the subject of these calls shows a disregard for humans and public safety," prosecutors stated.

Months before Damond was killed, Noor pulled over a driver who failed to use his turn signal and "the first thing he did was point his gun at the driver's head," prosecutors said, citing police records they reviewed. Noor appears on squad and body-camera video drawing his gun during that incident. Prosecutors argue Noor escalated the situation and that case "... shows his indifference to human life and dangerous recklessness as a police officer."

John Ruszczyk, Damond's father from Australia, has filed a civil lawsuit against Noor and the police department. In a statement to 5 EYEWITNESS NEWS, Ruszczyk's attorney, Bob Bennett, said in part: "The state's entire response underscores the fact that Noor was unfit for duty as a Minneapolis police officer."

Last month, Noor's attorney, Tom Plunkett, filed a motion to dismiss the case based on lack of probable cause. He argued Noor "did not act in a wanton manner, but in reaction to a perceived threat of danger," when he fired his gun.

Plunkett was unavailable for comment Wednesday. Attorney Fred Bruno represents officer Harrity. He said: "Everybody knows Harrity did everything right and nothing wrong that night."

[Dagnabitt]

Sad that we have imported this barbarism into our homeland.

[jocon307]

“... he disliked people, disliked being around people, and was disinterested in interacting with people,”

And yet this is pretty much the entirety of the job.

[I want the USA back]

He needs to be behind bars for life. The mayor who enabled the crime needs to be sent to somalia.

[Basket_of_Deplorables]

PC KILLS

[zeugma]

To date, I have not seen one single comment from his partner, officer Matthew Harrity. To me, this is one of the most interesting things about this case.

[mabarker1]

Thanks for the Ping AND GOOD NEWS.

The POS should have never been a Cop, a disgrace to the uniform and badge.

Now if the Death Penalty was available...

[Covenantor]

That is exactly it. The Dem female Mayor of Minneapolis at that time wanted to have a Somali police officer, so that she could look like a good progressive. So Noor was rushed through, even though he was unqualified. Another Affirmative Action case in which the politician can feel good about herself, while somebody else in the general public has to pay the price.

Wait....they alrady had the Somali American Police Association - SAPA is on Facebook.

This is what they had to say earlier this year.

"Somali-American Police Association: Noor Charges Are 'Baseless' "We believe these charges are baseless and politically motivated, if not racially motivated as well," the group said Thursday. By William Bornhoft | Mar 23, 2018 9:49 am ET | Updated Mar 23, 2018 9:57 am ET"