Justine Ruszczyk Damond’s family left crying in grief over 'snuff film’

Sydney woman Justine Ruszczyk Damond’s family has spent the past three weeks sitting where they never wanted to be - enduring her final moments from the vantage of police officers who tried to save her.

Justine Ruszczyk Damond’s family has spent the past three weeks sitting where they never wanted to be.

They’ve endured the horrific snuff film of her final moments, played again and again, from the vantage point of the body-worn video cameras of different police officers who tried to save her.

They’ve shaken their heads and sighed as bumbling missteps in the investigation were laid bare and the political backdrop of the prosecution of Noor played out.

MORE: Killer cop: Why I shot Justine

Justine Ruszczyk Damond’s family (from left) stepmother Maryan Heffernan, father John Ruszczyk, and fiance Don Damond (comforted by another Ruszcyck family member). Picture: Angus Mordant

Ms Damond’s Australian father John Ruszczyk, stepmother, brother Jason, sister-in-law Katarina and her American fiance, Don Damond, haven’t missed a day of evidence at the murder trial of her killer, Mohamed Noor.

And yesterday, they finally heard from the man whose rash decision to “shoot first, ask questions later” robbed them of her.

A courtroom sketch of Mohamed Noor sitting trial. Sketch: Cedric Hohnstadt

At times it was too much to bear.

As Noor labelled the 40-year-old former vet, dog rescuer and life coach “the threat”, her stepmother Maryan Heffernan cried out in grief, turning her head towards her husband and quietly sobbing.

Mohamed Noor, centre, labelled Justine Ruszczyk Damond “a threat” in his testimony. Picture: Angus Mordant

Mr Damond, whom Ms Damond had been set to marry on a beach in Hawaii just a month after her shooting in July 2017, bowed his head.

Noor himself shed tears, at first as he recounted the moments before he fired at Ms Damond when she approached his squad car after calling 911 for help, later crying in earnest as he talked about how he would “never have become a cop” if he knew that he would shoot dead an innocent, unarmed woman.

This courtroom sketch depicts former Mohamed Noor on the witness stand. Picture: Cedric Hohnstadt via AP

In testimony that at times appeared overly rehearsed: “I was following my training”, and “my partner feared for his life” were repeated several times, Noor followed the script laid out by his defence to argue that he feared for not just his partner’s life, but his own.

But prosecutor Amy Sweasy spoke for the doubts of many in the gallery watching when she asked: “So her whole blonde hair, pink top, no shoes and all, that was a threat to you?” Sweasy asked

“I rely on my training ma’am,” Noor answered.

Originally published as Justine Ruszczyk Damond’s family left crying in grief over 'snuff film’