Verdict expected for teen accused of murdering Calgary police officer
CBC
A verdict is expected Thursday afternoon following the first-degree murder trial for the Calgary teen who admitted to killing Calgary police Sgt. Andrew Harnett.
The now 19-year-old cannot be named under the Youth Criminal Justice Act.
On New Years Eve 2020, the teen was behind the wheel of an SUV which took off during a traffic stop with Harnett clinging to the driver's side door.
Harnett was dragged 400 metres before he lost his grip and was flung into oncoming traffic on Falconridge Boulevard in the northeast.
The 37-year-old left behind a pregnant wife who gave birth to a son months after Harnett's death.
Chelsea Goedhart has described living with "soul-crushing grief" as she experienced her pregnancy and parenthood without her partner.
Harnett was a decorated officer with two Chief's Awards for lifesaving during his 12-year career with the Calgary Police Service.
On the first day of his trial in January, the teen offered to plead guilty to manslaughter. The offer was rejected by the Crown and the trial went ahead.
The teen testified in his own defence, telling the judge he panicked and felt he'd been targeted because of his race.
But prosecutor Mike Ewenson said officers' body worn camera videos played in court show the teen was relaxed and called parts of the accused's testimony "concocted."
During the traffic stop, two colleagues arrived for back-up. Body-worn camera video from all three was played during the trial.
The night of the officer's death, Harnett pulled over the Infinity SUV because its lights weren't on.
The three people inside the Inifinity SUV — one passenger has never been identified — were on their way to a house party at the time.
In the course of his investigation, Harnett learned the passenger, Amir Abdulrahman, was wanted on outstanding warrants.
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