Police say Noor's defense 'did not show' to examine squad car

March 26, 2019 09:45 AM

A Hennepin County judge has approved the request from the attorneys of former police officer Mohamed Noor to have access to a Minneapolis Police Department squad car for an "independent examination," according to court documents.

Noor is charged with second-degree and third-degree murder, as well as second-degree manslaughter, in the death of Justine Ruszczyk in July 2017.

In a court document filed earlier this week, Noor's attorneys say it "would be most helpful" if they had access to the squad car on Friday (Dec. 28), since on that day the moon will be in the same phase as it was on the day Noor shot and killed Ruszczyk.

The defense wanted to conduct a test in the alley where the shooting happened. They wanted to recreate the scene by examining a Minneapolis police squad car on a night that would have had the same amount of moonlight as the night the shooting happened.

Judge Kathryn Quaintance signed the order allowing the examination Friday, with some stipulations.

The order said the defense can examine a squad car between 6 p.m. and 10 p.m. Friday, but only "at or near" the 5th Precinct in south Minneapolis, instead of at the scene.

The order added that the examination, "shall not affect the utility, or damage, or alter the squad car."

According to the court document, the defense is not allowed to ask Minneapolis police representatives that are present at the examination questions that are "unrelated to the squad car."

An attorney for Noor said Friday night there was "nothing happening" with the examination.

Saturday morning, a spokesperson for the Minneapolis Police Department said Noor's attorneys "did not show during the specified times last night as laid out by the Court Order."