HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) 鈥� A white police officer in Connecticut who repeatedly suffering a mental health crisis while his colleagues tried to defuse the situation made his first court appearance Friday on a , a brief hearing that attracted dozens of fellow officers who support him.
Joseph Magnano, 23, did not speak during the arraignment at Superior Court in Hartford but later hugged officers outside the courtroom. Many displayed badges over their street clothes.
Magnano by the Hartford mayor after the fatal shooting of Steven Jones on Feb. 27. The shooting drew wide public outcry and questions about the police department鈥檚 policies when responding to people in mental distress.
The president of the local police union continued to defend Magnano while speaking to reporters Friday. The union has filed several grievances with the city over his firing, seeking to have him reinstated.
鈥淭hey told him he was a criminal for doing what he was trained to do,鈥� James Rutkauski said.
Magnano’s lawyer, Patrick Tomasiewicz, declined to comment after the hearing. Free after posting $50,000 bail following his arrest last month, Magnano is due back in court on July 21. He is expected to enter a not guilty plea at some point.
Jones, 55, who had a history of mental illness, was holding a large knife on a city street when officers arrived on that winter day.
Police body camera video shows three officers, over several minutes, repeatedly telling Jones to drop a knife. The officers also tell him they鈥檙e there to help.
鈥淪teve, you鈥檙e OK. We鈥檙e going to make sure you鈥檙e OK,鈥� Officer James Prignano says. 鈥淛ust drop the knife. We鈥檙e going to go talk to somebody, OK?鈥�
Jones can鈥檛 be heard saying anything in the videos.
About 12 minutes after the 911 call, Magnano arrives, draws his pistol and shouts at Jones to drop the knife, telling him, 鈥淵ou鈥檙e going to get shot.鈥� A woman is heard screaming, 鈥淒on鈥檛 shoot him!鈥�
The videos show Prignano motioning at Magnano, appearing to tell him to back away. As Jones slowly walks toward Magnano, the officer gives a final warning before shooting at him nine times, about 30 seconds after he got out of his cruiser. Jones died four days later.
Connecticut Inspector General Eliot Prescott, who filed the manslaughter charge and is prosecuting the case, said an investigation found Jones was not an imminent threat and the shooting was not justified.
In his own incident report, Magnano, who had been on the force for a year and four months, said he was 鈥渇earful of Jones making a sudden lunge towards either an officer or citizen.鈥�
Hartford Police Chief James Rovella has not commented publicly on the shooting. He and several high-ranking officers also went to court Friday. 鈥淚t’s too early to comment,鈥� he said.
Jones鈥� relatives did not attend the hearing but local NAACP officials were present Friday.
鈥淭hey take an oath to protect and serve,鈥� Corrie Betts, president of the Greater Hartford NAACP branch, said of police. 鈥淪o when they鈥檙e called to a mental health call and an individual ends up dead, is that protecting and serving?鈥�
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