The shooting of Justine Ruszczyk and trial of former officer Mohamed Noor

Read the charges against Minneapolis police officer Mohamed Noor in death of Justine Ruszczyk

Officer Mohamed Noor
Minneapolis police officer Mohamed Noor has been charged with third-degree murder in the shooting death of 911 caller Justine Ruszczyk last summer.
Courtesy of Hennepin County Sheriff's Office

Minneapolis police officer Mohamed Noor faces two felony charges in the 2017 shooting death of 911 caller Justine Ruszczyk, who was also known by the surname Damond.

Noor turned himself in Tuesday and faces charges of third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter in the case. Minneapolis police said that Tuesday was his last day on the force.

The murder charge is more serious and carries a longer penalty. And it's possible Noor could be acquitted on the murder charge, but still be found guilty of manslaughter.

Here's what the charges mean under Minnesota law:

Third-degree murder

This charge involves unintentionally killing someone "by perpetrating an act eminently dangerous to others and evincing a depraved mind, without regard for human life."

If convicted of third-degree murder, Noor could face a maximum of 25 years in prison, though the presumptive sentence is 12 1/2 years. A judge could issue a sentence ranging from about 10 1/2 to 15 years.


Second-degree manslaughter

Causing the death of another person in any of the following ways is considered second-degree manslaughter. Specifically, Noor is charged under a subsection of the law that stipulates:

By the person's culpable negligence whereby the person creates an unreasonable risk and consciously takes chances of causing death or great bodily harm to another.

The second-degree manslaughter charge carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison, but the presumptive sentence is four years.

Both charges carry a minimum penalty of three years imprisonment, according to the charging document.

Read the full criminal complaint here:

The Associated Press contributed to this report.