Former Mesquite Officer Derick Wiley Testifies In Retrial For Shooting Unarmed Man: 'I Got To Shoot Him Or He's Going To Shoot Me'
DALLAS (CBSDFW.COM) - In a Dallas County courtroom Thursday night, former Mesquite Police officer Derick Wiley detailed his account of what happened on the night in November of 2017 when he shot Lyndo Jones at Jones' pickup truck.
At times, Wiley got emotional saying he believes his actions were justified.
"I thought I was out there by myself. Can't get on the radio.. 4-5-4 hadn't showed up. I thought I was by myself," Wiley said on the stand.
With his body camera rolling as he approached Lyndo Jones' truck, Wiley was yelling at him to get out and get on the ground.
While applying pressure to his back, Jones turns over and runs away.
Wiley's defense contends had Jones complied with Wiley's orders, they wouldn't be here today.
"I told myself either I got to shoot him or he's going to shoot me," said Wiley.
Earlier in the day, the only civilian witness to this shooting took the stand, saying he believes Wiley was in trouble.
"I saw Mr. Jones struggling to gain control of Officer Wiley's weapon," said witness Henry Leaverton.
The state's use of deadly force expert says the body cam video - which the Dallas County DA's office says is prime evidence he violated his police authority - documents proper policing until Wiley decides to shoot Jones.
"Did Lyndo Jones pose a threat to Officer Wiley that he had to use deadly force? No," said Johnathan Priest, a law enforcement analyst.
The jury will ultimately have to decide if Wiley violated the law or if his actions were justified.
The trial will resume Friday at 9:00 a.m.
