Jurors at the coroner's inquest into the shooting death of Damon Beal have ruled the shooting as justified. Metro Police Officer Chris LeBlanc shot Beal on March 23, 2010 after a pursuit.

Beal shot Officer Mike Madland, who was recently released from the hospital. He was on hand to testify at the Friday hearing.

According to the medical examiner, Beal was drunk when the incident happened. His blood alcohol level was almost three times the legal limit.

Police say Beal and Marvin Lee Wilson were driving a stolen Mercedes the night of March 23rd. Police followed them and then forced the car into a wall. The two men took off running with Madland chasing Beal over three walls.

Madland testified Beal stopped and pointed a handgun at him, and then fired three shots.

"I immediately felt the first shot go into my right groin area, but I still continued my sprint towards him. I didn't want to get into a one foot gun battle and I fell into him, grabbed the suspect's gun. And my only cause was to keep the barrel of the gun from getting in my direction," he said.

Officer Madland is now in a wheelchair, but hopes to return to active duty soon.

Madland and the witnesses testified Officer LeBlanc fired two shots at Beal, hitting him in the head.


Madland testified he was on top of Beal when Beal went limp right after the shots were fired.

In a strange turn of events, witness Alvino Farias told jury members days after the shooting, District Attorney candidate Don Chairez and Sheriff's candidate Tim Deam stopped by his house specifically asking if this was an execution.

Chairez said Deam believed this was an execution and a Metro coverup. He felt the witness may have been intimidated to change his story and the public had a right to know. Chairez says after speaking with Farias he didn't agree with Deam.

Deam did not return calls for comment.