‘DISAPPOINTING’

Cop’s Conviction Overturned for Shooting a Therapist Who Had His Hands Up

Jonathon Aledda had been convicted of misdemeanor culpable negligence for shooting at an autistic man holding a toy and instead hitting his therapist.

A Florida appeals court has overturned the conviction of an ex-cop who shot at an autistic man holding a toy and instead hit the man’s therapist in North Miami six years ago. Jonathon Aledda had been convicted of misdemeanor culpable negligence for shooting at Arnaldo Rios Soto but wounding Charles Kinsey, who was lying on his back on the street with his hands up. The court overturned the conviction because a lower court did not allow jurors to hear testimony from a SWAT commander who had been ruled unqualified to give expert testimony. Florida State Attorney Katherine Fernandez Rundle said in a statement that the overturned conviction “is disappointing to all who believed that this shooting incident was unnecessary and incorrect.” The president of the South Florida Police Benevolent Association praised the court’s decision. Just after the shooting, Kinsey had asked, “Sir, why did you shoot me?” Aledda replied, “I don’t know.” The officer was later fired.