Judge: New Mexico Police Officers to Stand Trial for Murder

An Albuquerque, New Mexico, police officer and a former detective will stand trial in the 2014 shooting death of a homeless man, a judge ruled Tuesday.

Officer Dominique Perez and former Officer Keith Sandy will face second-degree murder, voluntary manslaughter and battery charges in the death of James Boyd, 38, NBC News reported. The homeless man's killing was caught on an officer's lapel camera and sparked outrage in Albuquerque over what some perceived as unnecessary lethal force.

Boyd was clutching two knives when he was shot while camping in an unauthorized area of the city's Sandia foothills. Police claimed that he was threatening them during a tense standoff. Police fired six shots at Boyd, fatally wounding him. Stun guns and bean bag rounds were also used in the standoff.

Copyright The Associated Press
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