Mohamed Noor and what led to the ex-officer's resentencing
Former Minneapolis police officer Mohamed Noor is set to be resentenced for the July 2017 killing of Justine Ruszczyk Damond, whom he shot in an alley after she called 911 to report hearing a possible rape happening behind her home
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Your support makes all the difference.A timeline of key moments in the July 15, 2017, fatal shooting of Justine Ruszczyk Damond, who called 911 to report a possible crime, and the trial of former Minneapolis police officer Mohamed Noor who killed her:
July 15, 2017 — Damond calls 911 to report hearing a possible sexual assault in the alley behind her home. Officers Matthew Harrity and Mohamed Noor respond and, finding nothing, they prepare to leave when Harrity is startled by a loud noise. Noor, in the passenger seat, shoots past Harrity, striking Damond through the driver’s side window.
July 16 — Hundreds gather in Damond’s neighborhood to mourn. Mayor Betsy Hodges says she is “heartsick” and “deeply disturbed." State investigators say the officers hadn't turned on their body cameras and that squad car video didn’t capture the shooting.
July 17 — An autopsy shows that Damond, a dual citizen of the U.S. and Australia, died of a gunshot to the abdomen. The officer who shot her is identified as Mohamed Noor, a Somali American with less than two years of experience.
July 20 — Police Chief Janee Harteau makes her first remarks about the shooting, saying it “should not have happened” but defending Noor’s training.
July 21 — Harteau resigns after Hodges says she no longer has confidence in the chief. At a news conference to discuss the change, Hodges is shouted down by protesters who say she should resign, too.
Nov. 18 — City Councilman Jacob Frey defeats Hodges in an election that was influenced by police-community relations.
March 20, 2018 — Noor is charged with third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter and is fired. A count of second-degree intentional murder is added later.
July 23 — Damond's family files a $50 million lawsuit against Noor and the city.
March 1, 2019 — Noor pleads not guilty.
April 9 — Opening statements are made at Noor’s trial. Defense attorney Peter Wold says Noor was reacting to a loud noise, feared an ambush and used reasonable force to protect himself and his partner. A prosecutor questioned a key part of one officer’s account.
April 25 — Noor testifies, making his first public statements since Damond’s death. He says he saw fear in his partner’s eyes, then saw a woman appear at his partner’s window and raise her right arm before he fired his gun “to stop the threat.”
April 29 — Closing arguments are made. Defense attorney Thomas Plunkett argues that Noor was caught up in “a perfect storm” of events but “acted as he was trained.” Prosecutors say Noor was responsible for “a tragic event of his own making” and urge jurors to convict him.
April 30 — The jury convicts Noor of third-degree murder and manslaughter and acquits him on the more serious charge of second-degree intentional murder.
May 3 — City officials say Minneapolis will pay a $20 million settlement to Damond’s family.
June 7 — Noor is sentenced to 12 1/2 years for third-degree murder. He apologizes to Damond's family and says he knew what he did was wrong.
Feb. 1, 2021 — Minnesota Appeals Court upholds Noor's murder conviction.
Sept. 15 — The Minnesota Supreme Court throws out Noor's murder conviction, saying third-degree murder didn’t fit the case because Noor directed his actions at a specific person. Noor remains convicted of manslaughter.
Oct. 21 — Noor returns to court and is sentenced to nearly five years in prison for manslaughter, which was the longest term the judge could impose under the state's sentencing guidelines. With good behavior, he could be freed under supervised release by next summer.