No Verdict Yet Following Day 2 Of Deliberations In Aggravated Assault Trial Of Former Dallas Officer Christopher Hess
DALLAS (CBSDFW.COM) - A Dallas County jury began deliberations Tuesday in the shooting death trial of former Dallas Police Officer Christopher Hess.
Around 3:00 p.m. on Wednesday, after five hours of deliberations, the judge sent the jurors home for the day and told them to return Thursday morning to continue deliberations.
Jurors must decide whether or not Hess, 42, is guilty of criminal conduct during the deadly shooting of Genevive Dawes in January 2017.
Hess fire 12 times at 21-year-old woman.
Hess was fired for violating the Dalals Police Department's use of deadly force policy.
The state charged Hess with aggravated assault and the evidence used against him was body cam video of the shooting.
Dawes was in a stolen car, backing out and trying to get away from officers.
Hess was the only officer to fire multiple times at the car.
He did not take the witness stand in his own defense.
The argument before jurors was if Hess' decision to shoot was justified or illegal.
"Your verdict of guilty is sending a message that this conduct would not be accepted in our society, and he needs to held responsible for his actions," said prosecutor George Lewis during closing arguments.
"Officer Hess was exemplary that night. He remembered what was important. He values human life. He made the only choice available to him," defense attorney Messina Madson told the jury.
