Sides gave their closing arguments on Thursday and now await the jury’s decision in the case of the Contra Costa County sheriff’s deputy who shot and killed an unarmed man during a slow speed chase through Danville almost three years ago to the day.
Sheriff’s Deputy Andrew Hall open fired on 33-year-old Laudemer Arboleda nine times on November 3, 2018 at the corner of Front Sr. and Diablo Rd.
following a slow speed pursuit which began over a suspicious person report.
Hall faces charges of voluntary manslaughter and assault with a firearm – both felonies. He pleaded not guilty to both charges in June.
Defense lawyers in their closing arguments saidthat Hall fired the bullets out of self-defense, Bay City News reported.
"Andrew Hall fired those shots to protect himself from being run over by a car," Stern said according to the outlet. "It’s that simple."
The defense maintained that officers attempted to safely pull over Arboleda’s vehicle several times and at one point pulled out their guns without shooting, and he still tried to drive away.
The situation culminated when Hall - who defense attorneys said wasn’t involved until the end of the incident - pulled in front of Arboleda while another officer cut with his vehicle behind him, creating a “tunnel,” the outlet said. Arboleda attempted to drive out of the jam and towards Hall, at six miles per hour, which is when Hall fatally unloaded almost his entire clip into his front windshield.
Hall’s attorneys said his actions may saved his life.
Meanwhile, the prosecution claimed that Arboleda never intended to hit Hall with his vehicle, Bay City News reported, Even though they admitted Arboleda did not comply with the authorities’ orders, they contended that failure to obey a police officer does not carry a death sentence.
In addition, Arboleda’s lawyers criticized the defense’s evidence, which featured computer simulations while the prosecution's evidence consisted of dashcam and body cam footage. They also questioned whether Hall followed correct procedures and his own training.
The jury begin their deliberations on Monday.
Hall remains on paid administrative leave after he shot and killed another man in Danville last March in a separate fatal shooting - an incident which remains under investigation,
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