RSSLive Blog

Live coverage: Inquest into fatal shooting

A coroner’s jury will determine if a Billings police officer was justified when he fatally shot a burglary suspect who was driving off in his patrol car in January

3rd & 7 37yd

He's also a firearms instructor and is now going over BPD firearms training - moving targets, stress

by Zach Benoit via twitter 11/6/2013 6:01:17 PM
Chartier: "The reason we do it is for real life scenarios."

by Zach Benoit via twitter 11/6/2013 6:01:42 PM
Chartier said they train for difficult situations, stress. "We train the mindset of when the threat happens, address it."

by Zach Benoit via twitter 11/6/2013 6:03:57 PM
Chartier said he helped w/ investigation after Jan. 6 shooting death of Brawley, was called in that afternoon

by Zach Benoit via twitter 11/6/2013 6:06:16 PM
Went to Miles and then City Hall, gathered detectives and began interviewing officers

by Zach Benoit via twitter 11/6/2013 6:07:31 PM
Chartier and another detective spoke with Punt at City Hall

by Zach Benoit via twitter 11/6/2013 6:10:06 PM
Chartier said Punt wasn't sure if he'd been hit or thrown by the car. "He had been assaulted by his own vehicle."

by Zach Benoit via twitter 11/6/2013 6:12:30 PM
Chartier said Punt was pretty calm during the interview

by Zach Benoit via twitter 11/6/2013 6:12:52 PM
Chartier on Punt: "He's not quick to excitement."

by Zach Benoit via twitter 11/6/2013 6:14:11 PM
Chartier's now telling a story from a mid-1990s encounter he and Punt had with a man with a shotgun

by Zach Benoit via twitter 11/6/2013 6:17:49 PM
Chartier said Punt tackled man waiting to ambush officers. "Officer Punt clearly could’ve shot that suspect. Officer punt did not."

by Zach Benoit via twitter 11/6/2013 6:19:05 PM
Back to Jan. 6, Chartier said he sent Punt home w/ plans to interview later and then was tasked with examining the Brawley's belongings

by Zach Benoit via twitter 11/6/2013 6:21:26 PM
He conducts most of the autopsies for Billings and the surrounding area

by Zach Benoit via twitter 11/6/2013 7:57:23 PM
Bennett conducted the autopsy on Brawley on Jan. 7

by Zach Benoit via twitter 11/6/2013 7:59:15 PM
Bennett also described Brawley as "a very small man," estimated he weighed about 120 lbs,, "which may have been generous."

by Zach Benoit via twitter 11/6/2013 8:02:59 PM
Bennett said Brawley had gunshot wound. Appeared that bullet went in his right side, exited left side and went into his left arm.

by Zach Benoit via twitter 11/6/2013 8:04:33 PM
Bennett said injuries consistant with Brawley driving and turning a car to the left b/c bullet didn't hit R arm but struck L

by Zach Benoit via twitter 11/6/2013 8:05:25 PM
Bennett said the wounds suffered by Brawley couldn't be survived.

by Zach Benoit via twitter 11/6/2013 8:07:53 PM
Bennett: "If he would’ve been in the emergency room when he was shot, they couldn’t have saved him, in my opinion."

by Zach Benoit via twitter 11/6/2013 8:08:56 PM
Bennett now talking about toxicology exam. Keep in mind that Zink said yesterday that Brawley had meth in his system.

by Zach Benoit via twitter 11/6/2013 8:10:43 PM
Bennett said report shows Brawley had meth in his system when he died.

by Zach Benoit via twitter 11/6/2013 8:11:27 PM
Bennett said Brawley had a "significant level" of meth in his system.

by Zach Benoit via twitter 11/6/2013 8:12:37 PM
Bennett said a tox screen of Punt returned that he had caffeine and no alcohol or drugs in his system.

by Zach Benoit via twitter 11/6/2013 8:13:31 PM
Bennett said Brawley had 2x the average dose he normally sees in somebody

by Zach Benoit via twitter 11/6/2013 8:14:56 PM
Twito says no more witnesses to call. He's about to make a statement.

by Zach Benoit via twitter 11/6/2013 8:16:13 PM
He's thanked them and says they must answer several questions:

by Zach Benoit via twitter 11/6/2013 8:19:26 PM
Name of deaceased, date of death, place of death, cause of death

by Zach Benoit via twitter 11/6/2013 8:20:43 PM
Twito: "That's the easy part." Says they must determine manner of death: deliberate, justifiable, accidental, self-inflicted, natural causes

by Zach Benoit via twitter 11/6/2013 8:22:00 PM
The jury must also decide whether or not the death was by criminal means

by Zach Benoit via twitter 11/6/2013 8:22:35 PM
Twito said it's not their job to judge what happened leading up to Brawley's death, only if it was by criminal means.

by Zach Benoit via twitter 11/6/2013 8:25:15 PM
Twito: "You can’t use the benefit of hindsight."

by Zach Benoit via twitter 11/6/2013 8:25:28 PM
Twito: "If anyone is at fault, we’re all at fault for underestimating Daniel Brawley that day."

by Zach Benoit via twitter 11/6/2013 8:26:56 PM
Bullis now reading the jury instructions. Deliberations should start soon.

by Zach Benoit via twitter 11/6/2013 8:27:35 PM
The jury is now in deliberations. Bullis has cleared the room for them.

by Zach Benoit via twitter 11/6/2013 8:33:17 PM
Jury determined Brawleys death was justifiable homicide.

by Zach Benoit via twitter 11/6/2013 8:46:41 PM
Punt hugging family, other officers. Several jurors congratulated him.

by Zach Benoit via twitter 11/6/2013 8:48:33 PM
That's all from me for now. Full writeup at Billingsgazette.com

by Zach Benoit via twitter 11/6/2013 8:50:37 PM