A jury on Monday night convicted a North Miami police officer of a misdemeanor for firing his rifle three times at an autistic man holding a silver toy truck, but acquitted him of two more serious felony counts of attempted manslaughter.
Jurors deliberated more than three hours in the case of Officer Jonathon Aledda, who admitted he mistook the shiny object for a weapon in a shooting that drew national outrage amid heightened criticism of police tactics. His bullets missed the autistic man but struck the man’s therapist, who was lying on the ground with his hands in the air.
Aledda was convicted of a misdemeanor count of culpable negligence, which carries a penalty of up to one year behind bars. He’ll be sentenced in the coming weeks, but because the charge is minor, he may still be eligible to remain a police officer.
Read more at our news partner the Miami Herald.
