Wintry mix spreads across Minnesota

MPR News helps you turn down the noise and build shared understanding. Turn up your support for this public resource and keep trusted journalism accessible to all. 

Turn Up Your Support


The St. Anthony police officer who shot and killed Philando Castile at a traffic stop in July did not enter a plea during a brief court appearance on Monday.

Dressed in a suit and blue tie, Jeronimo Yanez firmly answered "yes, your honor" when the judge asked if he understood what was happening. He left the court quickly after that. The hearing took only a few minutes.

Yanez was expected to make a plea once a trial judge had been selected. Late Monday afternoon, the court said Ramsey County Judge Edward Wilson would hear the case. 


Yanez faces a second-degree manslaughter charge in Castile's death — and two other felony charges for firing a weapon while Castile's girlfriend and her daughter were in the car during the Falcon Heights stop.

 last week, saying there's not enough probable cause. 


"The allegation is that of 'culpable negligence,'" they wrote in the motion to dismiss, adding, "the question, unanswered by the complaint, with whether Mr. Castile himself was negligent. And did his negligence at least contribute to this tragedy."

The defense argues that because Castile smoked marijuana and was "stoned" during the traffic stop — they cite an autopsy report saying he had high levels of THC, a chemical in marijuana, in his system when he died — he didn't follow Yanez's commands. 


Castile was licensed to carry a weapon, and had a gun with him in the car when Yanez pulled him over. Early in the traffic stop, he told the officer about the gun, and that's when the incident escalated. 
 

has said Castile was calm and non-threatening


But the defense argues that because Castile was a marijuana user, he shouldn't have carried a firearm in the first place. It also references material from Castile's permit-to-carry instructor, James Diehl, that says he was taught to tell the officer he had a permit, follow orders and show his hands. 

Yanez's attorneys argue Castile was himself "culpably negligent" by not doing what he had been taught. 


The Castile family's attorneys, Glenda Hatchett and Robert Bennett, challenged that theory, but said they weren't surprised at the defense team's strategy.

Crime, Law and Justice

Shows

Morning Edition

NewsPartners

The death of Philando Castile and the trial of Jeronimo Yanez

Jon Collins

Author

Riham Feshir

St. Anthony police officer Jeronimo Yanez faces second-degree manslaughter in the death of Philando Castile. Ramsey County Judge Edward Wilson will hear the case, the court said Monday.

Brief hearing, no plea from officer in Castile shooting

Go Deeper.

Like this?

News you can use in your inbox