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Manslaughter Charges Dropped Against Ex-Little Rock Officer

Joshua Hastings
Brian Chilson
/
Arkansas Times

A judge has dismissed manslaughter charges filed against a Little Rock police officer who was set to go to trial for the third time in the shooting death of a teenager.

Pulaski County Circuit Judge Wendell Griffen granted the prosecutors' request Monday to drop charges against Josh Hastings.

In a motion, the prosecution said it made the request "based on its good faith belief that it cannot obtain a conviction" against Hastings.

Hastings was charged in the 2012 shooting death of Bobby Moore III. Two previous trials ended with hung juries, and Hastings had been set for a third trial in May.

Hastings says a car driven by Moore was moving toward him when he opened fire. Prosecutors allege Hastings acted recklessly when he shot Moore.

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