ICYMI: Ex-Michigan Cop Guilty Of Manslaughter: Verdict

DETROIT, MI — A jury has found former Michigan State Police Trooper Mark Bessner guilty on Wednesday of involuntary manslaughter, according to reports. The conviction comes about 20 months after Bessner Tasered a teen on an ATV, resulting in his death.

Bessner was the passenger in the Michigan State Police cruiser on Aug. 26, 2017, when he and his partner noticed Damon Grimes, 15, of Detroit, driving an ATV along Reno and Fairmont streets in Detroit. They ordered the boy to pull over, but the boy continued to drive, according to reports.

When the boy would not pull over, Bessner Tasered him from the moving cruiser, authorities said. The boy crashed the ATV into a truck parked along the street. He was taken to a nearby hospital and was pronounced dead a short time later.

Prosecutors wanted a tougher conviction, but the jury elected to convict Bessner of involuntary manslaughter rather than second-degree murder, according to the Detroit News.

The WXYZ video below contains police footage of the incident:

See more on Patch:

• $1M Bond For Michigan Trooper Charged In Death Of Detroit Boy
• Michigan State Trooper Who Fired Taser Before Fatal ATV Crash Has Resigned