Judge: No immunity for Georgia officer who shot fleeing man

WOODBINE, Ga. - A judge has denied a former Georgia police officer's request for immunity from prosecution for the fatal shooting of a fleeing, unarmed man.

Zechariah Presley's trial on a manslaughter charge is scheduled to start Monday in Camden County. Superior Court Judge Stephen Scarlett rejected the former Kingsland officer's argument that the shooting was justified because he feared for his life.

Presley shot 33-year-old Tony Green after a June 2018 traffic stop. Body cam footage of a nighttime foot chase shown in court was too dark to see details. Presley tells another officer he drew his gun after Green fought to grab his Taser. Then Presley says: "He started taking off, so I fired."

The judge said there's evidence Presley was afraid, but it's "unrebutted" that Green was fleeing and unarmed.

Zechariah Presley (Camden County)

RELATED: Ex-Georgia officer seeks immunity after he killed black man