NJ officer takes stand at his murder trial

ANNAPOLIS, Md. (AP) — A New Jersey detective authorities say killed an Anne Arundel County man during a road rage incident told the jury he tried to defuse the situation before fatally shooting the man.

Forty-one-year-old Joseph Walker took the stand on Friday and told jurors that he tried to defuse the situation before fatally shooting Joe Harvey.

Walker told the jury that Harvey threatened to kill him and continued walking toward him even after Walker displayed his badge and gun. He testified that he had no intention of killing Harvey, but made a split-second decision. Walker and his wife, who also testified, said Harvey and his passenger were cursing and yelling racial slurs at them before physically approaching.

Walker shot and killed Harvey in June 2013 along Interstate 97 in Annapolis.

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Federal News Network Logo
Log in to your WTOP account for notifications and alerts customized for you.

Sign up