Zechariah Presley, former officer facing charges for killing unarmed man, testifies

CAMDEN COUNTY, Ga. — It was another long day of testimony in Camden county, highlighted by Zechariah Presley taking the witness stand on Wednesday.

The former Kingsland Police officer is standing trial for manslaughter. He shot and killed Tony Green after a traffic stop In June 2018.

Prosecutors say unarmed Green was running away. The defense says Green attacked Presley and reached toward his duty belt.

Presley said he could only think of returning home to his wife and two boys in those moments.

“He had just attacked me, been on top of me, and I was just tased, and he was going for my duty belt,” said Presley in court on Wednesday. “… I see his face, the front of his body, and I see something extended towards me, and that’s when my training (inaudible) kicked in and I fired my duty weapon.”

Investigators determined Green was holding a cell phone at the time of the shooting.

The State pressed Presley on his decision to pull the trigger, saying he didn’t issue a verbal command to Green to drop what he felt may have been a weapon. ‘

The defense says Presley only fired his weapon after his taser malfunctioned, and there was a struggle with Green.

Emotions ran high when the State asked Presley whether he knew Green had children too. Presley responded by saying he thinks of Green’s children when he sees his own.

His comments prompted some of Green’s family members to become visibly and audibly emotional and leave the courtroom.

Another woman, unrelated to Green, was banned for the remainder of the court proceedings by the judge for causing a disruption as she made comments while leaving courtroom as well.

Action News Jax Reporter Ryan Nelson spoke to that woman, Viola Lewis, afterwards.

“This is nothing but a travesty of justice,” she said. “… [Presley] should have never been hired.”

Court proceedings resume Thursday morning at 9 a.m.

Cox Media Group