A Fulton County jury began deliberating Wednesday in the murder trial of a former Atlanta police officer who is charged with fatally shooting a woman and setting her body on fire.
Tahreem Rana testified that he killed Vernecia Woodard, 26, in 2014 in self-defense, Channel 2 Action News reported.
Rana testified he met Woodard, who had an 8-year-old daughter, in Hapeville for sex, and that she tried to rob and carjack him with his own gun, Channel 2 reported. Rana testified that during the struggle Woodard was shot three times.
However, experts testified that Woodard had wounds in her hand like she was in a defensive mode when she was shot, the station reported.
Rana testified that he then panicked, left the scene to purchase gasoline, and returned to set her body on fire, according to the station. The former officer said for three days he went about his life in an attempt to forget about his actions.
A few days after Woodard’s body was found, Rana was arrested by U.S. Department of Homeland Security agents while awaiting a flight to Mexico, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution previously reported. He has been in the Fulton County jail without bond since his arrest.
Rana also faces charges of felony murder, tampering with evidence, concealing the death of another, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, arson of land, and four counts of violation of office.
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