Robert Rialmo takes the stand in Quintonio LeGrier case (with clip)
JUNE 19, 2018
"CHICAGO — The Chicago police officer who shot and killed Quintonio LeGrier, 19, took the stand to testify on Tuesday afternoon at a wrongful death civil trial.
Officer Robert Rialmo testified Tuesday and it was the first time the jury was able to see him. He has not been in court because his attorney said he doesn’t want the jury misinterpreting his client’s body language.
Rialmo looked nervous and annoyed at times when answering questions. He gave short one-word answers and often said he could not recall because it happened so long ago. He testified that him and his partner were watching a movie on Netflix lot across the police station when they got the call to respond to the LeGrier residence.
On stand, he contradicted himself multiple times....
He often could not answer questions saying he could not recall. He claimed he was inrsuffientialy trained to resolve situations without violence and said he was not given the right equipment. He called his training from the police academy "utterly a joke" but did admit that he had a baton that day. He left it in his squad car. He would have had access to 29 Tasers but let his certification expire....
Rialmo is expected to take the stand again Wednesday.
On Tuesday, jurors also heard from forensic pathologist Judy Melinek who testified for LeGrier's family.
Melinek testified that the trajectories of the wounds to LeGrier's body did not support Rialmo's version of what happened on Dec. 26, 2015...."
Robert Rialmo takes the stand in Quintonio LeGrier case
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Chicago police officer testifies in Quintonio LeGrier wrongful death lawsuit for 2nd day (with clip)
JUNE 20, 2018
"Officer Robert Rialmo, who shot and killed 19-year-old Quintonio LeGrier in 2015, took the stand Wednesday, and it was the first time the jury heard emotion from him. During his first day on the stand, he seemed nervous and at times, annoyed while answering questions.
On Wednesday, he said he thinks about the shooting every day, and said it has affected his ability to sleep. He said he gained 50 pounds and when it came to the fatal shooting of 55-year-old Bettie Jones, he knows he "screwed up."
Rialmo walked into the courtroom escorted by sheriff's deputies because of alleged death threats.
The attorneys for the LeGrier family continued their questioning about the morning of Dec. 26, 2015 when LeGrier was shot. They tried to point out discrepancies in Rialmo's statement from that night and in his deposition about where LeGrier was standing when he fired the seven shots, five of which hit LeGrier and another hit Jones who was standing behind him.
During cross examination, the city's attorney said Rialmo received marksman training during his time in the Marines, and said he had been trained by Chicago police about the use of deadly force. That meant to counter Rialmo's claim that the training he received at the police academy was "a joke."
The attorney also got Rialmo to say that pepper spray, a baton or Taser would not have been effective in stopping LeGrier.
The city's attorney asked Rialmo why he didn't just run and hide behind a car like his partner....
Rialmo also testified that he ordered LeGrier at least 10 times to drop a bat, but that LeGrier kept approaching while swinging. The defense claims LeGrier's twisting motion explains why he was shot in his back multiple times....
Jones, a neighbor, was also shot and killed during the incident in what police dubbed an accident...."
Chicago police officer testifies in Quintonio LeGrier wrongful death lawsuit for 2nd day
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The Jam @TheJamTVShow Jun 20
The Quintonio LeGrier wrongful death
trial is heating up as the accused CPD
Officer Robert Rialmo takes the stand.
@BpopeTV with an update.
(
video clip The Jam on Twitter )
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Quintonio LeGrier’s father contradicts officer’s testimony in wrongful death trial (with clip)
JUNE 21, 2018
"CHICAGO — The father of 19-year-old Quintonio LeGrier, who was shot and killed by Chicago police Officer Robert Rialmo, contradicted the officer's testimony.
Antonio LeGrier took the stand to testify on Thursday at Rialmo's wrongful death civil trial, saying he never told Rialmo "You did what you had to do," after the Dec. 26, 2015 shooting of LeGrier. On Wednesday, Rialmo testified that the teen's father came down the stairs after the shooting and repeatedly said, "You did what you had to do."
Rialmo testified LeGrier was coming after him with a baseball bat and said he was fearful the teen would "knock his head off," so he shot him. Lawyers for the teen's family argued that LeGrier was too far to pose a direct threat to Rialmo.
One of the issues at the center of the trial is whether or not the 19-year-old swung his bat at Rialmo and how close he got to the officer who responded to the 911 call on the night of the shooting...."
Quintonio LeGrier’s father contradicts officer’s testimony in wrongful death trial
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