OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) – A jury has been selected for the trial of an Oklahoma City police officer Keith Sweeney, who shot and killed a suicidal man.
He was charged with second-degree murder in late 2017.
At the time, Sweeney said he opened fire because he thought the victim, Dustin Pigeon, had a weapon. An investigation later revealed Pigeon was unarmed and suicidal– and no threat to police.
Officers were at his home after he called 911 saying he was going to end his life. Pigeon was also holding a bottle of lighter fluid with a lighter in hand.
Potential jurors were asked about a wide range of topics that relate to the case, from politics to making mistakes on the job.
It seems that every element of the case was considered, including people’s experiences with police officers and opinions on the Second Amendment.
The defense attorney asked the group about their leadership styles and if they`d be capable of working together, as he reminded them of the gravity of the case: they’re deciding the fate of Officer Sweeney, which could end in a life sentence.
He also asked if they would be able to deal with seeing a death from body camera as evidence.
Because issues like suicide and alcoholism are big parts of the case, several potential jurors got emotional answering questions about loved ones with those struggles but reassured the court that they would still be able to handle the case.
The victim’s family also showed up to the courtroom.
Opening statements are expected to start tomorrow.
Correction: KFOR incorrectly referred to Sweeney as a former police officer and that error has been corrected.