June 19, 2013

Jury selected in Virginia ex-cop's murder trial

BY: NAOMI JAGODA JANUARY 22, 2013 | 6:31 PM | MODIFIED: JANUARY 22, 2013 AT 6:35 PM
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CULPEPER, Va. -- A jury was selected Tuesday for the trial of a former Culpeper police officer accused of murdering a woman while on duty.

Opening arguments in Daniel Harmon-Wright's trial are expected to take place Wednesday in Culpeper County Circuit Court. Harmon-Wright, 33, was indicted on murder and other charges in May for the death of 54-year old Patricia Cook.

On Feb. 9, 2012 Harmon-Wright responded to a suspicious person call and approached Cook in a Catholic school parking lot while she was in a Jeep Wrangler. During the encounter, Harmon-Wright shot Cook seven times.

Virginia State police had originally said that Cook had trapped Harmon-Wright's arm in the window of her Jeep and then started driving, dragging the officer. Police said that Harmon-Wright allegedly shot Cook because she refused to stop. But that account of the incident has been disputed.

Harmon-Wright was fired from the Culpeper Police Department after he was indicted.

njagoda@washingtonexaminer.com

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