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New details in trial of man accused of recklessly hitting 2 people including cop

Back in April of 2013 Christopher Slaughter was involved in a crash that critically injured Harrisburg police officer Daniel Pieper and Selena Martin. “No...
Man accused of hitting Harrisburg Police Officer on trial for 2nd day

Back in April of 2013 Christopher Slaughter was involved in a crash that critically injured Harrisburg police officer Daniel Pieper and Selena Martin. “Nobody claims that he did it intentionally, but that’s not what we have to prove” said Assistant District Attorney Fran Chardo. In order to prove the charges of aggravated assault, prosecutors do have to make Slaughter’s state of mind clear to the jury when Slaughter refused to stop after being pulled over. “All we have to prove is that he acted recklessly and with extreme indifference to the value of human life. Fleeing from the police at high speed constitutes recklessness” said Chardo.

However the defense attorney, Jay Whittle, said there’s more to the story. “Ultimately this crash did occur, but the police officers involved were also in violation of their own department regulations” said Whittle. Whittle said that the sergeant who initially stopped Slaughter was in a high speed pursuit when Slaughter failed to pull over, but that the sergeant never got approval for the pursuit from a supervisor. Whittle also said he plans to tell the jury it was actually officer Pieper’s driving that caused the crash, not Slaughter’s. “He doesn’t believe he’s the causing factor for the injuries, but he does feel awful that the people are injured, he mentioned that yesterday. He feels that officer piper was the the vehicle that hit him” said Whittle.

Slaughter’s ex wife Latoya has been at the trial since it started and says ultimately three families have been affected. She said “we make mistakes. Things are not intentionally done. Two people got hurt, even if they were bystanders or not I feel for them, as they go through their pain and their injuries and what they’re going through and what their families are going through cause we’re going through something right now as well.” The prosecutor said that the Jury will most likely reach a verdict on Wednesday.

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