US deputy who shot Black woman in her home convicted of murder

lessons on U.S. deputy who shot Black woman in her home convicted of murder

A former sheriff's deputy has been convicted of murder for fatally shooting a Black woman while inside her home.

The verdict was reached Wednesday after weeks of testimony in the trial of Mark Anthony Nevitt, who worked as an officer with the Marion County Sheriff's Office at the time of the 2018 fatal shooting of Atatiana Jefferson. The jury deliberated about two and a half hours before finding him guilty of murder.

Prosecutors said Nevitt shot Jefferson through a window while responding to a call reporting someone had broken into her home. Defense attorneys argued he believed his life was in danger when he shot the woman, saying she pointed a gun at him.

Jefferson's 8-year-old nephew, who was also in the home at the time of the shooting, said he couldn't see Nevitt's hands and thought he was an intruder. He told jurors that he didn't remember seeing any guns in his aunt's hand or whether one was on the table.

Nevitt was fired after being indicted by a grand jury for murder.

Jefferson, 28, had been playing video games with her nephew when they noticed a police cruiser driving slowly outside their home. She thought it might be someone breaking in and grabbed her gun as she prepared to call 911.

Prosecutors said Nevitt never identified himself as a police officer before opening fire on Jefferson through the window after she ignored his commands.

The shooting came nearly five months after the police killing of George Floyd in Minnesota sparked protests nationwide against racial injustice and police brutality. It happened about six weeks after Dallas Police Officer Amber Guyger was convicted of murder for fatally shooting Botham Jean, an unarmed Black man, inside his own home.

Jurors were shown body-camera footage from Nevitt's partner showing him approaching the house with his gun drawn, then backing up as Jefferson began to walk toward a window. The officer turned on his body camera, but never identified himself as police before opening fire.

Jefferson was playing video games with her 8-year-old nephew when they noticed a police cruiser driving slowly outside their home. She thought it might be someone breaking in and grabbed her gun as she prepared to call 911.

Police found both guns inside the house after the shooting, along with ammunition and a holster for the weapon that Jefferson was holding at the time of the shooting. The holster was on top of a dresser next to where the gun had been left by Jefferson's nephew, who testified it wasn't his, and prosecutors theorized that Nevitt never saw it when he fired through the window.

Nevitt had been with the sheriff's office for about four years at the time of the shooting. He was previously employed as a reserve officer with another department in the Dallas-Fort Worth area.

Lessons on U.S. deputy who shot Black woman in her home convicted of murder

A former sheriff's deputy has been convicted of murder for fatally shooting a Black woman while inside her home.

The verdict was reached Wednesday after weeks of testimony in the trial of Mark Anthony Nevitt, who worked as an officer with the Marion County Sheriff's Office at the time of the 2018 fatal shooting of Atatiana Jefferson. The jury deliberated about two and a half hours before finding him guilty of murder.

Prosecutors said Nevitt shot Jefferson through a window while responding to a call reporting someone had broken into her home. Defense attorneys argued he believed his life was in danger when he shot the woman, saying she pointed a gun at him.

Jefferson's 8-year-old nephew, who was also in the home at the time of the shooting, said he couldn't see Nevitt's hands and thought he was an intruder. He told jurors that he didn't remember seeing any guns in his aunt's hand or whether one was on the table.

Nevitt was fired after being indicted by a grand jury for murder.

Jefferson, 28, had been playing video games with her nephew when they noticed a police cruiser driving slowly outside their home. She thought it might be someone breaking in and grabbed her gun as she prepared to call 911.

Prosecutors said Nevitt never identified himself as a police officer before opening fire on Jefferson through the window after she ignored his commands.

The shooting came nearly five months after the police killing of George Floyd in Minnesota sparked protests nationwide against racial injustice and police brutality. It happened about six weeks after Dallas Police Officer Amber Guyger was convicted of murder for fatally shooting Botham Jean, an unarmed Black man, inside his own home.

Jurors were shown body-camera footage from Nevitt's partner showing him approaching the house with his gun drawn, then backing up as Jefferson began to walk toward a window. The officer turned on his body camera, but never identified himself as police before opening fire.

Jefferson was playing video games with her 8-year-old nephew when they noticed a police cruiser driving slowly outside their home. She thought it might be someone breaking in and grabbed her gun as she prepared to call 911.

Police found both guns inside the house after the shooting, along with ammunition and a holster for the weapon that Jefferson was holding at the time of the shooting. The holster was on top of a dresser next to where the gun had been left by Jefferson's nephew, who testified it wasn't his, and prosecutors theorized that Nevitt never saw it when he fired through the window.

Nevitt had been with the sheriff's office for about four years at the time of the shooting. He was previously employed as a reserve officer with another department in the Dallas-Fort Worth area.

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