Gasser didn't testify in McKnight case; Guilty of manslaughter

quote:

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Ronald Gasser, the man charged with murdering ex-NFL pro Joe McKnight, will not testify in his own defense. And his attorneys didn't call a single witness before resting their case.  

Gasser and his attorneys made the announcement to 24th Judicial District Court Judge Ellen Shirer Kovach on Thursday evening, after jurors at his trial spent a dozen minutes going over evidence exhibits in the case. That included the gun used to fatally shoot McKnight, which Gasser claims was done in self-defense. 

The defense's decision to not put on a case suggests it does not believe prosecutors met the burden of proof needed for jurors to convict Gasser of unjustifiably killing McKnight. Gasser faces mandatory life imprisonment if convicted of second-degree murder.

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The Advocate

The jurors did hear 3 taped interviews Gasser had with police during the investigation. Gasser's attorneys must be pretty confident. Ballistics show that McKnight's hand was inside of the window, likely resting on the window sill. McKnight was leaning down at the window when he was shot, and he was three feet from the weapon when he was shot. Gasser had a ladder in his car that the state says should prove McKnight couldn't get to Gasser as he contends on the tapes. Gasser told police McKnight lunged at him through the window.

The hand in the vehicle isn't the end all, be all for justifiable homicide. The state will likely argue that deadly force is only warranted if the shooter believes it's the only way to remove the person from the vehicle.

I guess we might see a verdict today once closing arguments wrap up.