The Latest: Life sentence for man who shot unarmed black man


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RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — The Latest on the trial of a man convicted of murder for shooting an unarmed black man (all times local):

11:45 a.m.

A white man who fatally shot an unarmed black man after reporting "hoodlums" in his neighborhood has been sentenced to life in prison without parole.

Superior Court Judge Michael J. O'Foghludha sentenced Chad Copley on Friday, a day after a jury found him guilty of first-degree murder for the August 2016 shooting.

Copley has testified that he feared for his safety after seeing people with guns who were apparently leaving a nearby party.

Victim 20-year-old Kouren Thomas was shot by Copley while leaving the party. Witnesses said he had no gun, and prosecutors said none was found at the scene.

Prosecutors had said Copley appeared bent on violence when he told 911 operators he was "locked and loaded" to confront people he described as armed "hoodlums" in the neighborhood.

___

7 a.m.

A white man who fatally shot an unarmed black man after reporting "hoodlums" has been found guilty of first-degree murder in North Carolina.

News outlets report that the jury spent less than two hours deliberating before finding Chad Copley guilty of first-degree murder in the death of 20-year-old Kouren-Rodney Thomas, who was attending a party near Copley's home.

Prosecutors had said Copley appeared bent on violence when he told 911 operators he was "locked and loaded" to confront people he described as armed "hoodlums" and launched a "surprise attack."

Defense attorneys acknowledged Copley fired the fatal shotgun blast, but said he feared for his safety and was covered by the state's Castle doctrine.

No gun was found at the scene.

Copley's sentencing hearing is set for Friday.

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