Former St. Louis cop
has been found not guilty of shooting an unarmed man in the back in north city in 2018 — a case that began with St. Louis Circuit Attorney Kim Gardner and that drew angry pushback from the union representing police officers in the city.
The verdict came today after a three-day bench trial in front of St. Louis Circuit Judge John T. Bird last month. Defense attorneys Scott Rosenblum and T.J. Mathes had opted to waive their client’s right to a jury trial in order to try their chances with Bird.
Bird was appointed to the bench by Governor Mike Parson in 2021.
In his 10-page ruling, Bird wrote that EerNisse was not guilty of assault in the second degree or armed criminal action. He wrote that he found the testimony of Arvell Keithley, the man shot by EerNisse, not credible — and that EerNisse was credible.
Keithley was in a stolen red Mustang at a McDonald’s in north city on August 27, 2018, when police officers spotted him. Bird wrote that testimony found that Keithley sped off, traveling as fast as 110 miles per hour before the vehicle spun out and Keithley took off on foot.