BALTIMORE COUNTY, Md. (WJZ) — Body-worn camera footage from the day Baltimore County Police officer Amy Caprio died entered into evidence on Friday during the Dawnta Harris’ trial. The 17-year-old is accused of running the officer over with a stolen Jeep, killing her last May.
The jury saw the video before during opening statements, but briefly, but it wasn’t any easier to watch.
On Friday, Caprio’s body-worn camera footage was entered into evidence and released to the media.
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“Stop, Stop, get out of the car,” Caprio was heard on the video. “Get out of the car.”
The repeated commands were directed at Harris, then 16. who was allegedly the getaway driver, waiting in the Jeep, while his three friends burglarized homes in Perry Hall on May 21. When Caprio responded, she confronted them and was killed after the Jeep struck her.
As the Jeep continued to advance at her, Caprio got our one shot before she was struck by the Jeep.
WJZ is only showing part of the body-worn camera video, but the somber jury heard Caprio dying from massive, crushing injuries.
Earlier in the day, the lead detective showed video from his interview of Harris at police headquarters. At first, the now 17-year-old denied ever being in the Jeep. Harris was then seen trying to hide the key to the Jeep in the interview room.
Eventually, he admitted he got into the Jeep with three other teens, claiming he didn’t know what they were up to.
In a series of questions and answers, Harris said, “I was scared. I didn’t know what to do. I put my head down. I didn’t look. I pushed the gas.”
“First, he was deathly afraid in terms of a gun being pointed in his face, two that he didn’t know he hit her and three he wasn’t involved with these guys going into the houses that were burglarized,” said Harris’ attorney Warren Brown.
He had no intention whatsoever of hurting anybody and I don’t even believe he knew that he struck Officer Caprio,” said Harris’ attorney J. Wyndal Gordan.
Whether Harris’ words outweigh the video will be a central issue for the jury.
