During the recent and controversial murder trial of Ft. Worth Officer Aaron Dean, who was accused of shooting and killing a Ft. Worth woman in her home, FBFK Criminal and White-Collar Attorney Steve Toland provided legal insight into the use of self-defense and deadly force on DFW’s Spectrum News 1.

At the center of the trial was testimony by Dean’s partner – Officer Carol Darch – and other eyewitnesses, which put into question whether Dean was acting in self-defense or was justified in the use of deadly force. According to Toland, “a case of self-defense will always come down to specific details that, if taken to be true, would support a person’s subjective belief that deadly force was necessary to protect themselves from deadly force.”

In this case, Officer Darch’s testimony seemed to refute it was reasonable that Officer Dean would feel threatened for his life. She testified that she saw “a person’s face in a window with eyes as big as saucers, but at no time did she see this person raise a gun or behave in what would be a threatening manner.”

Toland adds that her “really detailed, descriptive language” was closely heard by the jury and Dean will need to respond with equal specificity and details that he saw a gun or “it will be a problem for the defense at some point.”