Freeman Responds To Racial Bias Accusations: 'Simply Not True'

MINNEAPOLIS — A Hennepin County jury returned two guilty verdicts Tuesday against former Minneapolis police officer Mohamed Noor in the July 2017 fatal shooting of Justine Ruszczyk Damond.

Noor was found guilty of second-degree manslaughter and third-degree murder. He was acquitted of the second-degree murder charge.

"We believe the jury carefully reviewed the extensive evidence and made the correct decision," Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman said at a news conference after the verdict Tuesday.

"This was a challenging case with limited video evidence and only two witnesses of the actual shooting. We worked very hard to collect all the evidence, interview all known witnesses, conduct every relevant test and hire superb experts."

• Minneapolis Cop Trial: Mohamed Noor Found Guilty Of Murder

During the news conference, Freeman was asked about complaints by some in Minneapolis that he worked harder and was willing to charge a black officer who killed a white woman but would not do the same for a black person shot by a white cop.

"That is simply not true," Freeman said Tuesday.

"Race has never been a factor in making any decision and never will be. We have charged white cops with crimes and we will again."

Noor was immediately taken into custody after the verdict Tuesday. His sentencing was set for June 7.

The presumptive sentence under the Minnesota Sentencing Guidelines for the third-degree murder charge is 150 months in prison. The two sides will argue the sentence and Hennepin County District Court Judge Katherine Quaintance will make the final decision, according to a news release.