The Tribune

By PAVEL BAILEY

Tribune Staff Reporter

pbailey@tribunemedia.net

A Coroner’s Court jury returned a finding of justifiable homicide in the police-involved killing of David Deslande “Murder” Nicholls, 32, who reportedly raised a gun at officers outside an apartment complex in Fox Hill in 2017. 

Inspector Curtis and Corporal 3549 Ernest, the subjects of the inquest, were calm as the finding by the five-person jury was read.

Relatives of the deceased were not present in court, although the evidence marshal, Angelo Whitfield, reached out to them during the proceedings.

The officers reportedly shot and killed Nicholls near an apartment complex on Abner Street on November 23, 2017.

This is the fourth consecutive justified homicide finding, with jurors returning the same finding last month in the case of 17-year-old Elron Johnson.

Two other inquests this year had findings of homicide by manslaughter.

Officers testified that they were responding to information that night when they encountered Nicholls. They said the deceased raised a firearm in their direction, causing them to open fire. 

Nicholls was reportedly on bail on a murder charge when he was killed.

Forensic officers testified that a gun belonging to the deceased was recovered at the scene.

In his closing remarks, K Melvin Munroe, the officers’ attorney, argued that officers, like anyone else, have the right to defend themselves if they are threatened. 

The attorney asked jurors if they too would fire at someone aiming a weapon at them to protect themselves and others, and said if so, they should return a verdict of justifiable homicide.

Acting Coroner Kara Turnquest Deveaux presided.