The Latest: Jury deadlocked on officer who shot caretaker

MIAMI – The Latest on a police officer accused of shooting and wounding a severely man’s caretaker (all times local):

5 p.m.

A jury is deadlocked on three charges against a Florida police officer accused of shooting and wounding a severely autistic man’s caretaker. The officer was acquitted on one misdemeanour count.

The Miami Herald reports that the six-person jury found North Miami police officer Jonathan Aledda not guilty Friday on a misdemeanour count of culpable negligence. A second negligence charge and two attempted manslaughter counts resulted in a hung jury.

The jury foreperson said the vote was 5-1 to acquit Aledda of the other charges. Prosecutors must decide whether to retry Aledda on those counts.

Aledda testified this week that he thought Arnaldo Rios Soto had a gun and was holding his caretaker, Charles Kinsey, hostage. It turned out Rios was holding a toy truck. Aledda insisted he never heard another message on police radio that it wasn’t a gun.

Prosecutors say Rios had left his nearby group home and sat down in the road to play with his toy. A motorist called 911, saying the man was holding what may be a gun and appeared suicidal. Kinsey was trying to coax him back into the home when police arrived and surrounded them.

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12:30 p.m.

The fate of a police officer accused of shooting and wounding a severely autistic man’s caretaker is now in the hands of a Miami jury.

North Miami police officer Jonathan Aledda is accused of attempted manslaughter. He testified this week that he thought Arnaldo Rios Soto had a gun and was holding his caretaker, Charles Kinsey, hostage. It turned out Rios was holding a toy truck. Aledda insisted he never heard another message on police radio that it wasn’t a gun.

The Miami Herald reports the six-person jury got the case Thursday night. Miami-Dade Chief Assistant State Attorney Don Horn told jurors that Aledda’s gunshots were not a misfire but intentional, as he tried to kill Rios but wounded Kinsey.

Defence attorney Douglas Hartman blamed faulty radios and poor supervision.