The trial of a former Mesquite police officer, accused of unlawfully shooting and injuring a man, began Tuesday.
Derick Wiley has been charged with one count of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon.
In his opening statement, lead prosecutor Bryan Mitchell told the jurors Wiley was especially unreasonable.
"Derick Wiley was in such a rage that day. He was so emotional it didn't matter Lyndo Jones didn't full comply and he told him if you don't do this, I'm going to shoot you. Ladies and gentlemen, that's now the way it works here. That's not the way it works in society. It can't," he said.
The jury and those in Judge Carter Thompson's courtroom were able to see the officer's body camera video for the first time.
The jury is made up of four men and eight women.
In November 2017, then-Officer Wiley went to check on a vehicle alarm that was going off. When he arrived, he saw Lyndo Jones trying to get into a locked pickup truck.
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What Wiley didn't know at the time is that the truck belonged to Jones, who said he was simply trying to turn the alarm off.
During their encounter, the two got into a scuffle, and Wiley pulled out his gun and shot Jones twice.
The jury was also able to watch Wiley's interview with police following the shooting.
Although it was noted that the investigator was not able to interview Wiley right away as he was told Wiley had an attorney.
Wiley recounted what he says transpired when Jones rolled over on the ground, got up and began to run away from him before turning briefly pleading for Wiley not to shoot him.
"When he swung up with his hands facing me I thought it could be a weapon. I thought he was going to kill me and I fired," Wiley said during the interview.
Jones survived and is expected to testify when the trial begins its second day on Wednesday.
Wiley was fired by the Mesquite Police Department following an internal investigation of the incident, which Chief Charles Cato revealed that he violated multiple department policies when he shot Jones.
Wiley has appealed his termination.
He and his attorneys maintain that the shooting was lawful and in line with department policies, saying that Jones was uncooperative with him during their encounter and his actions caused Wiley to fear for his life.
Jones, his personal attorneys, and prosecutors note that he was unarmed at the time. They believe the evidence in the case shows that the use of deadly force was not justified.
Jones has filed a federal civil lawsuit against the city of Mesquite and officer Wiley.
His civil attorneys spoke to reporters after viewing the body camera video in court.
"There's no need for this type of force," said Daryl Washington. "You can hear Lyndo pleading with the officer don't harm him so there was no reason to use deadly force at that time."
The trial is scheduled to resume Tuesday morning at the Frank Crowley Courts Building in Dallas.
