Knowledgeable testimony on bullet trajectory

Editor’s notice: Denver7 has chosen to not embody the defendant’s identify in our protection of the trial to respect victims and their family members, and to not glorify the defendant. This trial goals to find out if the defendant was insane or not on the time of the taking pictures — not if he shot and killed individuals on the King Soopers, which the protection shouldn’t be contesting. Subsequently, we now have eliminated phrases resembling “alleged” and “suspected” from our trial protection when referring to him.

BOULDER COUNTY, Colo. — The jury trial is underway to find out if a defendant accused of taking pictures and killing 10 individuals at a King Soopers retailer in Boulder on March 22, 2021 was insane on the time of the taking pictures.

The defendant was arrested the identical day because the mass taking pictures, however the case was stalled by a number of competency hearings. He was discovered competent to face trial in August 2023 and pleaded not responsible by motive of madness three months later. He faces a slew of expenses, together with 10 counts of first-degree homicide, 38 counts of tried homicide, first-degree assault, and 6 counts of utilizing a large-capacity journal in against the law, plus a number of crimes of violence.

The ten individuals who misplaced their lives that day had been Suzanne Fountain, Rikki Olds, Boulder Police Officer Eric Talley, Jody Waters, Denny Stong, Tralona Bartkowiak, Neven Stanisic, Kevin Mahoney, Lynn Murray and Teri Leiker. Learn extra about them right here.

Opening statements started on the morning of Sept. 5. Denver7 will comply with every day of this trial. Learn the newest under.

Wednesday, Sept. 11

The fifth day of the Boulder King Soopers taking pictures trial started with Sarah Cantu, the senior investigator with the district lawyer’s workplace, again on the stand. She had beforehand testified on day 3 of the trial. She was a serious crimes detective with the Boulder Police Division from October 2013 via November 2023.

In court docket Wednesday, prosecutors introduced up the animation of how individuals — the shooter, victims and witnesses — moved across the car parking zone and retailer that day, alongside surveillance video. That animated video has been used a number of instances in court docket.

This included video of the shooter surrendering to police after he had been shot by Richard Steidell, an officer with the Boulder Police Division. Steidell testified on Tuesday and you may learn his statements in our earlier story right here.

The video performed in court docket confirmed the shooter begin strolling towards officers along with his arms up. Within the video, SWAT took the defendant out of the shop handcuffed.

Varied proof was collected from the scene, Cantu mentioned. This included a pair of denims, footwear, socks, a shirt, tactical vest, Ruger AR 556 pistol — which is technically categorised as a pistol due to its barrel size, however has been known as a rifle within the trial — Girsan 9mm pistol, three magazines for the Girsan, and one spare journal with the rifle. Each firearms had absolutely loaded magazines. Three further magazines had been discovered within the defendant’s automobile, Cantu mentioned. Yet another — for a complete of six magazines — was discovered close to the entrance of the shop, the place the defendant had dropped it when he went to reload, she mentioned. All six had been 30-round magazines.

Cantu mentioned extra magazines and the Beretta handgun had been found on the defendant’s residence.

On the second day of the trial, Agent Joel Hegarty, particular agent with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives defined the place every of the firearms had come from.

The protection didn’t cross-examine her and Cantu was dismissed, although she is going to testify once more later within the trial.

The second witness of the day was Aimee Qulia, who has labored within the firearms unit of the FBI for greater than 9 years. The FBI has employed her for nearly 20 years. She was submitted as an professional in firearms.

Qulia processed the crime scene on the Desk Mesa King Soopers with a workforce, and so they discovered 31 particular person trajectories within the case. Cartridge instances had been scattered round and he or she decided an AR-style pistol had been used, she recalled.

She supplied an in-depth evaluation for the jury of the bullet holes, impacts and trajectories. This included not simply the King Soopers retailer and car parking zone, however the Yoga Loft close by, which was broken within the taking pictures.

After the protection mentioned they’d no questions for Qulia, she was dismissed.

The court docket then broke for lunch and can return at 1:30 p.m. Monday.