The second trial of Tai Chan, the then-deputy accused of shooting and killing fellow deputy Jeremy Martin, us underway in New Mexico. Chan’s first trial ended in a mistrial after a jury couldn’t reach a unanimous verdict. Watch live streaming video of the trial in player above when it begins at 8:00 a.m. local time, 10:00 a.m. Eastern.
Chan and Martin were both working for the Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Department in October 2014 when they stopped for an overnight stay while returning home from a long-distance prisoner transport assignment. The deputies went to a Hooters restaurant and then to a hotel. In the hotel, Chan fired ten rounds at Martin with five of the rounds striking him. He died shortly later.
Chan took the stand in his first trial. He claimed Martin hit him in the face and then threatened to kill him with Chan’s own department-issued weapon. Chan then told jurors that the two deputies struggled for the gun. One round was fired during the struggle. Chan eventually said that he took control of the weapon and started shooting. Martin took off. Chan left the room as well and shot Martin in the hallway outside the room.
During opening statements, defense attorneys told jurors Chan would take the stand again in his second trial.
Martin was not Chan’s regular partner, though during the first trial the theory was presented that Martin was somehow jealous of Chan. The jealousy, it was argued, set the chain of events into motion.
Martin was 29 when he died. He left behind three children and a pregnant wife. Chan was 27 at the time of the shooting.
Martin’s widow took the stand late in the day Monday.
Chan’s lawyers unsuccessfully argued for a judge to dismiss the case in the months leading up to the second trial. They claimed the investigation was botched. In a separate lawsuit, a local detective sought whistleblower status, claiming she was not given the proper resources to investigate the Martin shooting.
The second trial is expected to last ten days in Las Cruces, New Mexico.
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