Deliberations Continue In Trial Of NYPD Officer Charged In Brooklyn Road Rage Killing
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- Deliberations continue Friday in the trial of an off-duty NYPD officer who is charged with murdering an unarmed Brooklyn man.
It's been a very painful almost year and a half for 37 year-old Delrawn Small's family. The last few weeks, those wounds have been reopened as they face the man accused of killing their loved one, 38-year-old NYPD Officer Wayne Isaacs, day after day in court.
Small's wife, Wenona Small, said Friday she's confident justice will be served.
"I'm just hoping that there's a conviction," she said.
On day one of jury deliberations, a note given to the judge by jury members claiming juror number five wasn't cooperating, CBS2's Erin Logan reported.
Isaacs' attorney says a road rage incident in July of 2016 ended as an act of self defense, arguing Small was angry and legally drunk when approaching Isaacs' personal car at a red light in East New York.
Grainy surveillance video shows what appears to be Small stumbling and collapsing in the street. His girlfriend and children were in his car, witnessing the deadly shooting.
Issacs took the stand saying Small punched him and threatened to kill him. That's when he says he grabbed his off duty weapon and fired three shots, as officers are trained.
Prosecutors argue Small was not drunk. They also say Issacs never identified himself as an officer.
Issacs is the first officer in the State of New York to be tried under an executive order giving the attorney general power to investigate and prosecute officers accused of killing unarmed civilians.
If convicted, Isaacs faces up to 25 years to life in prison.
