'No evidence...that Mr. Anderson was lunging towards the gun': Former detective testifies in Jay Anderson's court case

MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) --Three witnesses took the stand Thursday, March 25, in the 2016 shooting death of Jay Anderson, including his girlfriend.

He was shot and killed by former Wauwatosa police officer Joseph Mensah. Mensah's actions were ruled justified, but Anderson's family wants criminal charges filed against him.

“So the detective told you that Jay had a gun in car but the clip was in the backseat of the car?

"Yes," Starkeisha Delarosa said. She was Anderson's girlfriend. 

She described to the court the day officers told her Anderson was killed. 

“He said he had gun and I asked him did he point the gun, did he shoot? He told me no," Delarosa said.

Former Wauwatosa police officer Joseph Mensah shot and killed Jay Anderson Jr. on June 23, 2016 in Madison Park. Anderson’s family says Mensah approached him while he was sleeping in his car. Mensah says Anderson lunged towards a gun in the passenger seat next to him.
Mensah then shot him.

“The video I had seen, his hands were up, he never touched nothing or lunged, so I was confused on why did he get shot that night," Delarosa said.

The second witness was a former Washington D.C. homicide detective. He says Mensah should be charged.

“There is no evidence that at the time he was shot that Mr. Anderson was lunging towards the gun," James Trainum.

Trainum says Mensah should have waited for backup.

“Instead of waiting for that, Officer Mensah pulled into a position in the front of the vehicle that placed him in increased danger, it took away his tactical ability to approach the car safer," said Trainum. "He said at first he thought the person was sleeping in the car, so there was no urgency for him to continue further, he still could have waited for his backup that was on the way, instead he decided to engage the person."

Wauwatosa Police Chief Barry Weber will testify in court when court resumes on Tuesday, May 4.