ST. PAUL, Minn. – The Minnesota Court of Appeals upheld a former Minneapolis police officer’s conviction in the 2017 shooting death of an unarmed Australian woman who had dialed 911. The officer, Mohamed Noor,had been convicted of third-degree murder in the death of Justine Ruszczyk Damond. She was in an alley awaiting police after calling 911 for help about disturbing noises that sound like a rape. She was shot in the stomach when she approached Noor’s patrol car just after he pulled into the alley. Noor was sentenced to 12-1/2 years in prison for third-degree murder. The appeals court upheld the conviction 2-1. The dissenting judge, Matthew Johnson, favored sentencing on a lesser second-degree manslaughter charge.
Damond. Australian with dual U.S. citizenship.
Noor. Somali-American police officer.