A former D.C. police lieutenant is now indicted on a second-degree murder charge after he said he shot a trainee accidentally with his revolver.
Retired D.C. police Lieutenant Jesse Porter Jr. shot Maurica Manyan in the chest on Aug. 4 and she later died, court documents said. Porter conducted the training as a private contractor.
It happened after a training exercise for library police officers that the 25-year-old mother attended.
After the exercise at the Anacostia Library, Porter’s training group was posing for a photo when Manyan interrupted them to fix her hair and face mask, the documents said. That’s when Porter grabbed a gun and shot her, later telling police he thought he’d grabbed his training gun.
In a statement, Manyan’s family said it was grateful to learn a grand jury found probable cause to find Porter committed the offense and noted Porter’s business did not have liability insurance.
“The fact that the District would allow Porter’s company to engage with its own employees without even taking the time to verify insurance coverage is extremely disheartening,” the family’s statement read.
The statement also said Manyan’s family hadn’t been allowed to view footage of the shooting.
Porter could face 12 to 24 years in prison if he is convicted.
