DOVER, Del. (AP) - Deliberations were expected to continue Friday in the trial of a Delaware officer charged with manslaughter in a deadly 5-car pileup.
Frederick Pierce, a Dover police officer, decided not to testify Thursday, WBOC-TV reported. Lawyers on both sides of the case had acknowledged in court papers that he could have potentially taken the stand.
Pierce was indicted last year on charges of manslaughter, assault, speeding and driving while using a cellphone. He was accused of causing a chain-reaction crash in September 2018 in Dover that killed Catina Isaacs, 44, of Kenton, and injured a UPS driver.
Deputy Attorney General Barzilai Axelrod told jurors Thursday that Pierce recklessly caused the fatal crash by speeding and driving distracted.
Scott Wilson, Pierce’s attorney, said the crash was the result of negligence and not recklessness.
The jury began deliberating Thursday.
Pierce was off-duty and driving his personal vehicle at the time of the crash.
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