KINGSLAND, Ga. — A former Kingsland police officer wants immunity and charges against him dropped after shooting and killing an unarmed black man last year.
Zecheriah Pressley is charged with voluntarily manslaughter for killing 33-year-old Toney Green.
Family members and even the family’s church pastor say the video was extremely hard to watch inside the courtroom.
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Jaunetta Mack says it made her sick to her stomach when she watched the video that showed the moment Pressley, a Kingsland offers at the time, shot and killed her nephew last summer.
“Serve his time baby, serve his time. That’s all we want,” Mack explained.
Pressley is scheduled to go on trial next week, but he asked a judge to drop all charges against him Tuesday.
Pressley contends he acted in self-defense when he shot Green after he got out of a car and ran.
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But a judge didn’t approve the request right away.
“I feel like he did not do his job right because you don’t run nobody down and just shoot that many times. You shot eight times and you was intended to kill him,” Mack said.
The family’s church pastor, Mack Knight, was also there when the video played in court.
He posted this message to Facebook:
"To watch a young, unarmed black man be gunned down like that was gut wrenching and absolutely emotional. Tony green was gunned down like an animal in the street. This ex officer, Zechariah Pressley deserves to get life in prison from what I witnessed today" Knight added.
“All of that could’ve been avoided. You didn’t call for back up. Do you plan on being in court next week? Yes, I am,” said Mack.
People who knew Green told Action News Jax he was a loving father who was known to many people in Camden County
If Pressly is convicted of manslaughter, he could spend up to 20 years in prison.
Family members and people in the community told Action News Jax they will meet here at the Camden County Courthouse Thursday to protest while waiting for the judge’s final decision.
A former Kingsland police officer is asking that charges against him for killing an unarmed man last year be dropped. “Serve his time, that’s all we want” Hear from Tony Green’s family and friends at 5 @ActionNewsJax @WOKVNews pic.twitter.com/3K8ZIJvG4c
— Jamarlo Phillips (@JamarloANjax) September 25, 2019
Cox Media Group
