“Prince George’s Police Officer on Trial for Murder of Suspect Who Urinated in Police Car”
Prince George’s Police Cpl. Michael Owen is on trial for the murder of 43-year-old William Green in 2020
UPPER MARLBORO, Md. — A Prince George’s County jury is poised to decide the fate of the first police officer in county history to be charged with murdering a suspect after prosecutors claimed Tuesday that the victim was shot because he urinated while in custody in a police car.
Prince George’s County police Cpl. Michael Owen Jr. is accused of shooting 43-year-old William Green to death after Green was arrested and put in handcuffs during a January 2020 investigation of a series of vehicle collisions.
Prosecutor Jason Abbott told Judge Michael Pearson that the conflict started when Green, under the influence of PCP and in handcuffs behind his back, began complaining he had to urinate after being in custody in the front seat of Cpl. Owen’s police car for up to a half hour.
According to Abbott, when Green relieved himself while sitting in the car, Owen killed him.
“There is urine in the car and as a result, he shot Mr. Green.”, Abbott said.
The revelation came while lawyers argued over a defense demand to dismiss a second-degree murder charge because they said prosecutors failed to prove Owen had any “malice or forethought” before pulling the trigger.
Malice and forethought are key elements to sustain a second-degree murder conviction.
Monday, Owen took the stand in his defense. He said he fired in self-defense after Green began violently thrashing in the car, causing Owen’s gun to come out of its holster. Owen said Green got his hands on the gun despite being cuffed behind his back. After a shot was fired during the struggle, Owen said he gained control of the gun and fired at Green to stop him.
Green was hit by six bullets.
A police use of force expert testifying for the defense Tuesday said the shooting was justified.
“If the account given by Cpl. Owen is accurate, this is consistent with police use of force training”, Emanuel Kapelsohn testified.
The prosecution’s expert, former FBI agent Dr. Tyrone Power, testified he found no evidence to support the claim of a fight in the car.
“There’s no evidence his life was in danger,” Powers said. “He shouldn’t have used deadly force at all.”
Pearson decided to let the murder charge stand, which throws Owen’s fate to the jury that has been hearing evidence since November 28.
The final arguments and jury deliberations are expected tomorrow.
A jury in Prince George’s County is currently deliberating the fate of police officer Cpl. Michael Owen Jr., who is facing charges of murdering a suspect while on duty. If convicted, Owen will be the first police officer in the county’s history to be charged with such a crime.
The incident in question took place in January 2020 when Owen arrested 43-year-old William Green during an investigation into a series of vehicle collisions. Green was placed in handcuffs and put in the front seat of Owen’s police car. However, according to the prosecution, Green, who was under the influence of PCP, began complaining about needing to urinate after being in custody for around 30 minutes.
Prosecutor Jason Abbott claimed that the conflict escalated when Green relieved himself while still in the car. This allegedly led Owen to shoot and kill him. The prosecution argued that the presence of urine in the car was evidence of Owen’s motive for the shooting.
Owen, taking the stand in his defense, claimed that he fired in self-defense after Green became violent and thrashed around in the car, causing Owen’s gun to come out of its holster. Owen stated that Green managed to get his hands on the gun despite being handcuffed. After a shot was fired during the struggle, Owen regained control of the gun and fired at Green to stop him. Green was hit by six bullets.
Both the defense and prosecution presented expert witnesses to support their respective arguments. A police use of force expert testified for the defense, stating that the shooting was justified if Owen’s account was accurate. However, a former FBI agent, testifying for the prosecution, found no evidence to support the claim of a fight in the car and stated that deadly force should not have been used.
Ultimately, Judge Michael Pearson decided to let the murder charge stand, leaving the final decision in the hands of the jury. Deliberations are expected to conclude soon.
This trial has drawn significant attention due to the rarity of police officers being charged with murder while on duty. The outcome of this case could have far-reaching implications for how police use force in the future. The jury’s decision is eagerly awaited by both the public and law enforcement officials.
The final arguments and jury deliberations are expected to conclude tomorrow, and the verdict will be announced soon after..
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Scott Broom said Officer killed suspect for urinating while in handcuffs, prosecutors claim
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