NEW ORLEANS — Jury selection is underway for the man accused of shooting an NOPD officer in the French Quarter in 2020.
The victim, veteran NOPD officer Trevor Abney, miraculously survived the initial gunshot wound to his brain but died from complications two and a half years later.
45-year-old Darrell Hassell now faces one count of second-degree murder, two counts of attempted second-degree murder, one count of obstruction of justice, and one count of discharging a firearm during a violent crime.
Judge Robin Pittman arrived almost two hours late this morning, and attorneys didn’t begin questioning jurors until early afternoon.
District Attorney Jason Williams along with Assistant District Attorney William Dieters are trying the case and took the floor first.
During questioning, Dieters also called the facts of the case quote, “exceptionally simple.”
Defense Attorney Stephen Hebert asked the jurors if they’d like to hear from Hassell and many of them said yes.
In 2020, 45-year-old Donnell Hassell was accused of firing shots at an NOPD patrol car on Royal and St. Phillips Street.
During the ambush, Veteran NOPD officer Trevor Abney was shot between his eyes, and his partner, Officer Brooke Duncan, received minor injuries.
Abney battled his injuries for around two-and-a-half years before dying from complications last October.
Williams says he prays justice will be served soon.
"You know this defendant four years ago fired directly at two police officers, as they were simply parked in their car in the French Quarter and it took life,” Williams said. “This defendant took a life, took a life of officers who were just doing their job."
According to Judge Pickman, both the defense and prosecution expect a verdict by Friday.
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