A Franklin County prosecutor and one of Adam Coy's defense attorneys presented their opening statements Thursday in Franklin County Common Pleas Court.
Coy is the former Columbus police officer facing charges of murder, reckless homicide and felonious assault for the December 2020 shooting of Andre Hill on Oberlin Drive.
Prosecutor Renee Amlin spoke for about 15 minutes, while defense attorney Kaitlyn Stephens spoke to jurors for more than 30 minutes. Both told jurors similar stories of the night Hill was killed, but emphasized different details.
Prosecutors have to prove to jurors that Coy shot Hill recklessly, beyond a reasonable doubt. Then, if the jury finds Coy acted recklessly and was responsible for Hill's death, Stephens and Mark Collins — veterans at defending police officers against murder allegations — will have to prove that Coy was justified in shooting Hill.
Amlin said Hill drove a work truck to the Oberlin Drive neighborhood on Dec. 22, 2020 to meet with a woman. Hill was waiting for her outside, but because it was cold, he kept starting and stopping the vehilcle to warm it up.
"The periodic starting and stopping of the vehicle's engine attracted the attention of a neighbor, " Amlin said.
The man was "disturbed" by the noise and called police just before 1:30 a.m., according to Amlin.
When Coy arrived, the neighbor, Robert Roenker, who is expected to testify, pointed out the truck Hill was in and Coy went to talk to him. Hill showed Coy a text message from the woman as proof he was waiting for someone and Coy went back to his cruiser and watched Hill.
A second officer arrived on scene and they decided to follow up again with Hill after he went into a garage.
Amlin said Hill was listening to Coy and began moving toward him. At the time, Hill's left hand was raised and he was holding his phone. Coy then yelled "gun" and shot Hill four times, Amlin said.
Hill was unarmed when he was shot.
Stephens said Hill wasn't cooperating with police orders and that Coy couldn't see Hill's right hand. Stephens said Coy saw a "glint of steel," which was later determined to be a key ring, and thought it was a gun, so he shot. Stephens said Coy acted as he was trained to do.
Stephens said once Coy realized Hill was unarmed, he became physically sick.
Amlin said Seth Stoughton, a police use-of-force expert, will prove Coy acted unreasonably for a police officer and wasn't justified in shooting Hill. Stoughton testified in the murder trial of Derek Chauvin, who was tried and ultimately convicted in the death of George Floyd.
Stephens said the defense's use-of-force experts are retired Ohio police officers who better understand Coy's training and Ohio law, and will prove the shooting was justified.
Stephens also said the prosecution started with a premise of murder, worked their way backwards and that Coy made a mistake, but argued it a reasonable and justifiable mistake.
The trial is expected to last through next week.
