Jury expected to be seated Wednesday in trial for ex-officer who fatally shot man

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WMCH) – A jury is expected to be seated on Wednesday in the trial against a former Columbus police officer who fatally shot an unarmed man. 

Jury selection has entered its third day in the trial against former officer Adam Coy, 48, who is facing charges of murder, reckless homicide and felonious assault for fatally shooting Andre Hill, 47. The special prosecutor in the case signaled intent in 2021 to drop two additional misdemeanor counts of dereliction of duty. But as of Wednesday, Franklin County Common Pleas Court records still showed both counts on the docket ahead of Coy’s trial.

After the trial began with jury selection on Monday, prosecution and defense attorneys said they expected to wrap up the process on Tuesday afternoon, but it went beyond that deadline. On Tuesday, the court scheduled jurors to view the scene of the shooting at 1 p.m. on Wednesday, signaling that attorneys expect to select a jury -- consisting of 12 people and four alternates -- by then.

Attorneys face the challenge of selecting an unbiased jury, given the 2020 shooting of Hill garnered national attention. Numerous prospective jurors said on Monday that they have seen body camera footage of the shooting on the news. How long the jury selection process generally takes varies depending on the complexity of the case, but can range from hours to months.

What has happened at the trial and what’s to come

The pool of potential jurors consisted of over 100 people when the selection process began on Monday. All prospective jurors had to answer 92 questions, ranging from their opinions on groups like Black Lives Matter and Blue Lives Matter, to what coverage they have consumed related to Hill’s death and if they socialize with any police officers. Multiple jurors were dismissed Monday because of their bias for or against police or social justice issues. 

The jury selection process continued through Tuesday, with attorneys completing individual questioning in the morning, before group questioning began with the assistance of Judge Stephen McIntosh. The pool of potential jurors was narrowed down to about 60 people by the end of the day. Family members of Hill were present both Monday and Tuesday.

Once jury selection is completed, opening statements will take place, where both sides will have the opportunity to lay out the basic facts of the case to jurors and outline what they expect to prove. During these statements, no witnesses testify and no physical evidence is presented.

An attorney with the prosecution, either Deputy Chief Counsel Anthony Pierson or Assistant Prosecuting Attorney Renee Amlin, will go first, followed by an attorney from Coy’s defense, Mark Collins or Kaitlyn Stephens. Opening statements typically last anywhere from 10 to 30 minutes, according to the American Bar Association. 

After opening statements, the prosecution will present its case, laying out evidence in an attempt to convince the jury beyond a reasonable doubt of Coy's guilt. The prosecution may call witnesses, such as eyewitnesses and experts, to testify. After the prosecution is done presenting their case, the defense has the opportunity to cross-examine the witnesses and present their own evidence. Attorneys on both sides expect the trial to last about two weeks.

The shooting

On Dec. 22, 2020, Columbus police received a nonemergency call reporting a suspicious vehicle in the 1000 block of Oberlin Drive on the northwest side of the city. Coy, a 19-year veteran of the force, and fellow officer Amy Detweiler responded to the report around 1:50 a.m., when they spotted an open garage and walked toward it with their flashlights on.

Hill, who was later determined to be a guest at the home, was in the garage. Body camera video shows he began walking toward officers with a brightly lit phone screen held up in one hand, while his other hand was at his side and not clearly visible. It was then that Coy shot Hill, striking him four times. Less than nine seconds passed from the time Hill was illuminated by a flashlight to when he was shot.

Coy did not turn on his body camera until after the shooting. Due to a lookback feature that retained the previous 60 seconds of video without any audio, the shooting was captured. However, what was said before shots were fired was not recorded. 

During a later interview completed by the police department, Detweiler claimed that Coy asked Hill to exit the garage using a normal tone and Hill did not say anything in response, but turned and walked out of the garage. She revealed she did not see a gun or observe any threats from Hill but heard Coy yell, “There’s a gun in his other hand! There’s a gun in his other hand!” just before firing. 

Multiple officers arrived about five minutes after Hill was shot, and roughly another five minutes passed before an officer gave Hill any medical assistance. He was transported to a local hospital and pronounced dead at 2:35 a.m. No weapon was recovered at the scene. Approximately one week after the shooting, Coy was fired from the Columbus Division of Police.

In October 2021, Coy’s trial was set for March 2022. However, over the course of years, the trial has been delayed three times due to Coy’s battle with Hodgkin’s lymphoma. He is now considered healthy enough to stand trial.