HUNTSVILLE, Ala. (AP) -- A jury has been selected for the trial of an Alabama police officer facing a murder charge in the shooting of a man who had called police and told them he was suicidal.
Attorneys finished picking a panel of 12 jurors and two alternates Monday night, clearing the way for instructions from the judge and opening statements on Tuesday, news outlets reported.
Huntsville Police Officer William Darby, 27, is charged in the fatal shooting of Jeffrey Parker, 43, in April 2018. Parker was holding a gun to his head when Darby shot him, evidence showed during hearings, but the defense contends the killing was justified since the man refused to drop the weapon.
Prosecutor Tim Gann told potential jurors the trial was about the actions of Darby, not the entire police force.
"It's not an indictment of police and it's not an indictment of the Huntsville Police Department. It's an indictment of one individual," he said, according to al.com.
Defense attorney Robert Tuten said Darby does not have to prove that he acted in self-defense, rather the state has to prove he didn't.
While a county grand jury indicted Darby, a city review cleared him of wrongdoing and Huntsville is helping pay for his defense.