Hearing underway for former officer accused of killing naked, unarmed veteran

DEKALB COUNTY, Ga. — A hearing was held on Monday for a former DeKalb police officer who shot and killed a naked, unarmed man.

A grand jury indicted Robert Olsen in the March 2015 shooting death of Anthony Hill.

Prosecutors said Olsen shot Hill during an encounter at a Chamblee apartment complex.

They said the Air Force veteran was unarmed and naked.

A crowd rallied on the steps of the courthouse in support of Hill.

RELATED STORIES:

• Family files lawsuit in case of naked veteran shot, killed by police
• Girlfriend of military veteran killed by police: "My heart stopped"
• Police identify naked man shot, killed by DeKalb officer

In what is called an immunity hearing, a sort of pretrial, the judge is expected to decide whether Robert Olsen acted in self-defense.

If the judge determines it was self-defense, the judge can dismiss the murder charge and other charges.

Prosecutors said Hill was having a mental health emergency.

They said he was unarmed and naked at the time and never acted aggressively toward the officer or anyone at the apartment complex where the shooting happened.

Defense attorneys, however, said Hill aggressively charged the officer and ignored commands to stop.

They said the officer feared for his life.

'Were you scared?" the attorney asked Olsen in court on Monday.

"Yes, sir," Olsen responded.

"Did you think you were being attacked?" the attorney asked.

"Yes, sir," Olsen said.

Following the shooting, the officer got a medical kit out of his patrol car to see if he could help revive Hill.

"He was facedown, I turned him over and started to check for vital (signs). I didn't see any respiration," Olsen said in court.

Attorneys on both sides are calling witnesses.

Hill’s family wants the case to go to trial.

After the defense finishes presenting its witnesses, the prosecution will have its turn. The judge is expected to dismiss charges on Tuesday.

Cox Media Group