Prince George’s County, Maryland, prosecutors are now taking another look at the 2011 shooting death by the same officer who was recently charged with murder in the shooting death of a handcuffed man inside his cruiser earlier this week WTOP reports.
Cpl. Michael Owen Jr., whose charges include second-degree murder, involuntary and voluntary manslaughter, first-degree assault and use of a firearm in the commission of a crime of violence, is accused of shooting 43-year-old William Howard Green seven times, ultimately killing him.
Charging documents now show that there was no sign of a struggle or any altercation between Green, who was handcuffed in the front seat of the police cruiser and Owen at the time of the shooting.
“I am unable to come to our community and offer you a reasonable explanation for the events that occurred last night,” Prince George’s County Police Chief Hank Stawinski acknowledged.
On Wednesday, according to the report, Owen was ordered held without bond. Prince George’s County District Court Judge Robert Heffron Jr. noted that he had found evidence suggesting that Owen was a danger to the community, and a spokeswoman with the Prince George’s County state attorney’s office confirmed that it was reviewing a 2011 shooting in which Owen shot and killed 35-year-old Rodney D. Edwards.
Owen claimed that he saw Edwards lying on the side of the road when he stopped his unmarked car to check on him. He was still in uniform at the time.
Owen then said that Edwards pulled a gun on him, prompting Owen to fire several shots, again, ultimately killing the man. Owen was placed on administrative leave, as is stand procedure, but never wound up facing any charges in the death.
Edwards’ family requested that the case be looked at again when Owen was charged in Green’s killing, the spokesperson added.