Testimony continues for Wake County deputy Cameron Broadwell charged with assault in Kyron Hinton arrest

RALEIGH, N.C. (WTVD) -- Testimony continued on Friday in the trial against Wake County Sheriff's Deputy Cameron Broadwell who is accused of assaulting Kyron Hinton in 2018.

He faces felony assault charges for his alleged involvement in Hinton's April 2018 arrest.

On Thursday, cellphone video, shot by Candis Cox, was played. It showed the night Hinton was assaulted.

Cox testified that she originally called 911 because a man was in the road with what appeared to be a gun.

"I thought it seemed as though the man's actions didn't warrant the response from the police," Cox said.

Broadwell's attorneys said Hinton appeared to be on drugs, and Broadwell was trying to protect his fellow officers.

Most of the officers on the scene that night in April 2018 said they believed Hinton was mentally ill.

The Raleigh officers said they were calmly talking with Hinton and trying to figure out what to do next when Deputy Cameron Broadwell showed up with his police dog.

Without consulting with other officers, he started yelling commands and when Hinton didn't respond, he quickly unleashed the dog.

That led to a struggle in which Hinton fought fiercely with several officers and was badly injured when they tried to subdue him.

On Friday, officers testified they hadn't planned on using a K-9.

"Did you feel that Kyron Hinton was an immediate threat to you?" Patrick Latour, the prosecutor said.

"To me, in my opinion, to me, no. I mean, no," J.W. Gomes, Raleigh police officer, said.

Latour: "Was he an immediate threat in your opinion immediately before the defendant let that dog loose?"

Gomes: "In my opinion, no."

Defense attorneys got short answers, too, but tried to prove Broadwell did nothing wrong.

"You also told the SBI agent that even though you would have not used the technique of deploying the K-9 that deploying the K-9 was an effective technique to subdue Mr. Hinton. Is that correct?" Rick Gammon, Broadwell's attorney asked of Raleigh police officer Mike Klingenmaier.

"Yes," Klingenmaier replied.

Hinton's supporters said he long suffered from mental illness. He received an $83,000 settlement in February 2019 related to the April assault. A day later, he died of a drug overdose.