Prosecution Wraps Case Against Ex-Palm Beach Gardens Cop Charged In Fatal Shooting
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WEST PALM BEACH (CBSMiami) – It was a rough day for the family of Corey Jones, hearing once again his final moments after he was fatally shot by fired Palm Beach Gardens police officer Nouman Raja.
Raja kept his head down during much of Monday's testimony. He's accused of manslaughter and attempted murder.
On the stand Monday, an FBI analyst looked closely at three recordings made around the time of the shooting; one to a roadside assistance center, the police radio traffic and Raja's call to 911.
On the 911 call, we hear Raja telling Jones to drop the gun. The analyst made note of the time between when the shots were fired, caught on a recorded phone call with roadside assistance and when Raja called 911, telling Jones to drop the gun.
"Are you able to tell us how many seconds elapsed between the final shot that we hear and the 911 call?" the prosecutor asked.
"Yes," answered FBI analyst Suzanne Brown.
"How many seconds is that?" she was asked.
"I counted 33 seconds."
Prosecutors allege that Jones could not have been running or holding the gun at that time and that Raja would have no reason to tell him to drop it.
The medical examiner said one of the bullets hit his heart, meaning he could no longer run.
"How far do you, in your expert opinion, do you believe Corey Jones would have been able to travel after his heart was blown out that way?" the prosecutor asked.
"I'd say a few feet," said Palm Beach County Medical Examiner Dr. Gertrude Juste.
The defense began its case Monday, calling an audio expert to look closely at the call to roadside assistance.
In that call we hear Jones say, "Huh? I'm good." It's assumed that he's responding to Raja.
The defense enhanced it. A defense expert says that enhancement proves there's another voice, but it's not audible; that voice being Raja.
"There's only one other person there, that would be Mr. Raja," said audio expert Frank Piazza. "It is Mr. Raja's voice that is audible there.
The defense attorney asked, "Can we hear what he says?"
"No," responded Piazza. "We can only hear a voice."
The defense is expected finish its case Tuesday.
Closing arguments are planned for Wednesday morning. The case will go to the jury after that.
