Connecticut State Trooper Brian North is back in court for a third day of his trial on Wednesday.
He was arrested in connection with the fatal shooting of 19-year-old Mubarak Soulemane in West Haven on Jan. 15, 2020, and charged with first-degree manslaughter with a firearm. North has pleaded not guilty and denies any misconduct.
On Tuesday, the judge dismissed one juror who was having a difficult time following along with the trial.
The juror was replaced by an alternate juror and there are now six jurors and two alternates.
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“He [Mubarak Soulemane] let me know that he was purchasing a new phone,” Green said.
Green said he waited outside an AT&T store in Norwalk and Soulemane hit him when we got into the vehicle.
“He [Soulemane] asked me where was the phone, were was we going, and I said to him, 'I don’t know, I have to follow the GPS and the GPS let me know where I’m going. So, he said to me, give him the phone, and I said, ‘I am not going to give you my phone,’ and then he slapped me,” Green said.
The rideshare driver testified that he pulled into a nearby gas station, got out, pulled out a legally owned gun and told Soulemane to get out of his vehicle.
“You got out of your car and pulled your gun because you were scared, correct?” defense attorney Frank Riccio asked.
“Yes, I was,” Green said.
But Soulemane refused to get out, Green said.
Norwalk police officer Daniel Vazquez responded to the scene and said he tried to get Soulemane out of the locked car, but Soulemane drove away and led police on a chase.
State police were able to stop Soulemane in West Haven and North shot Soulemane seven times after the teen displayed a knife.
Prosecutors called a state police commanding officer to the stand to discuss the agency’s use of force policy and they introduced several items of evidence, including shell casings, Trooper North’s firearm and Taser wire.
“The closer the distance, the less effect the Taser is going to have,” Connecticut State Police Sgt. Kevin Duggan said.
The trial will resume at 10 a.m. on Wednesday.
