Trial Underway for Maryland Officer Charged with Fatal Shooting of Handcuffed Man

Michael Owen Jr., the first officer in Prince George’s County history to be charged with murder in an on-duty killing, faces trial over disputed circumstances surrounding the 2020 shooting of William Green.

Michael Owen Jr., a Prince George’s County police officer, is on trial for the fatal shooting of a handcuffed man, William Green, in 2020.
Owen, who served on the police force for 10 years, is the first officer in the county’s history to be charged with murder in an on-duty killing.
Prosecutors and defense attorneys agree that Owen fatally shot Green while he was sitting in the front seat of the officer’s police cruiser, but dispute whether a struggle preceded the shooting and whether Owen acted in self-defense.
Several months after Green’s death, county officials announced a $20 million settlement with his family.
The trial, which began on Tuesday, is set to continue.