Mohamed Noor, the police officer who shot Justine Damond, pleads not guilty at pre-trial hearing

The prosecution’s case against Mohamed Noor, the Minneapolis police officer who fatally shot Australian woman Justine Damond, has taken a few hits.

The police officer who shot and killed Australian Justine Ruszczyk Damond in Minneapolis has formally entered a not guilty plea at a pre-trial hearing.

Judge Kathryn Quaintance ruled that Mohamed Noor’s prior “bad acts”, including pointing a gun at a motorist during a traffic stop two months before Damond’s death, would not be heard by the jury when his trial begins on April 1.

Noor, who wore a blue suit to court, did not speak during the 30-minute hearing but smiled at his family, including his father, who were present in the courtroom.

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Mohamed Noor, left, former Minneapolis police officer, leaves the Hennepin County Government Center in Minneapolis on Friday, March 1 with lawyer Peter Wold. Pic: AP

Damond’s fiance, Don Damond, was also in attendance, sitting in the front row just four seats away from Noor’s family. He did not acknowledge the family as he walked past them to his seat and took notes throughout the hearing.

Noor is charged with third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter, as well as a count of second-degree murder with intent for killing Damond in July 2017. He was responding to a 911 call that the wellness coach made to report a possible rape happening behind her home.

Noor fired his gun across his partner Matthew Harrity and through the open driver’s side window striking Damond in the abdomen as she approached the police car. Damond, who was just weeks away from getting married, died 20 minutes after she was shot.

Justine Damond Ruszczyk and her fiance Don Damond were due to be married in a few weeks’ time when she was shot dead by Noor. Picture: Supplied

Judge Quaintance said three “prior bad acts” by Noor, including not looking for a burglary suspect despite promising to do so, would be inadmissable at trial.

She also ruled that Noor’s pre-trial silence could not be used as evidence unless the former police officer takes the stand. Likewise she struck out a psychological test Noor took during his application to the police force, unless he gives evidence during the trial.

Both sides agreed to an extensive 17-page questionnaire that potential jurors would be required to complete when jury selection begins on April 1.

Justine, a wellness coach, was shot by Noor after she called 911 to report a possible rape or assault happening near her Minneapolis home. Picture: Stephen Govel

Judge Quaintance said she would review a video fly through that prosecutors want to use which recreates the scene of the Damond shooting to determine its relevance.

Noor’s lawyer Peter Wold used US President Donald Trump’s proposed ban on immigrants from Muslim countries as the basis for his request to require jurors to watch a 15-minute video on implicit bias. He argued that Noor, who is Muslim, may be disadvantaged at trial because of Mr Trump’s views. The judge ruled against jurors seeing that video, saying it could “bring up tensions” unnecessarily.

“I do not want to play a video that is not evidence,” Judge Quaintance said.

The prosecution and the defence agreed to disclose which witnesses would be called a day ahead of them taking the stand in an effort to expedite the trial. The current witness list, which includes Noor’s former partner, Officer Harrity, was described as “a work in progress”.

Noor remains free on bail.

Originally published as Mohamed Noor, the police officer who shot Justine Damond, pleads not guilty at pre-trial hearing