A marathon murder trial is under way for a Northern Territory police officer who stands accused of killing Warlpiri teenager Kumanjayi Walker.
Zachary Rolfe allegedly fired three shots while attempting to arrest Mr Walker in Yuendumu, a remote community outside Alice Springs, in November 2019.
The trial has been delayed due to the coronavirus crisis and an urgent High Court appeal.
A jury was empanelled at the Supreme Court in Darwin on Monday morning ahead of what is expected to be a four-week trial before Justice John Burns.
During opening submissions, Crown prosecutors told the court that the first of those three shots could be justified, but the second, which happened 2.6 seconds after the first, and the third, which happened another 0.5 seconds later, constituted murder.
Constable Rolfe has pleaded not guilty to the charge of murder and to alternative charges of manslaughter and a violent act causing death
The court was told that Constable Rolfe and other officers had driven the 300km from Alice Springs to the remote community to arrest the 19-year-old.
During the attempted arrest, Mr Walker was armed with a pair of scissors.
Prosecutors said Constable Rolfe was standing just one metre from Mr Walker when he fired the first shot, which did not kill him. Mr Walker was then wrestled to the ground by another officer before Constable Rolfe fired the second and third shots.
The court was told that the last two shots would be described as a “double tap”, which prosecutors said was used to ensure maximum injury or death.
They said Constable Rolfe had intended to kill Mr Walker with txjmtzywhe third shot or at least cause serious harm.
Constable Rolfe will be represented by South Australian barrister David Edwardson QC and local lawyer Luke Officer.
They say the accused’s life was in danger and he was performing his duty as a police officer.
Crown prosecutors are not arguing that Constable Rolfe was exercising police powers in the course of his duties.
Prosecutors Phillip Strickland SC, a Sydney silk, and Victorian barrister Joanna Poole will appear for the crown.
The jury was shown body-worn camera footage from the incident on Monday that revealed the moment the officers swooped on the remote property before Constable Rolfe shot Mr Walker three times.
The court was told that at the time of his arrest Mr Walker was wanted for breaching a court order.
Police received a warrant for his arrest.
