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Mpls. Officer Who Shot Lee Takes Stand

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May 21, 2009 7:24 am US/Central

Mpls. Officer Who Shot Lee Takes Stand

ST. PAUL (AP) ― The Minneapolis police officer who fatally shot Fong Lee says the teenager had a gun.

Officer Jason Andersen testified in the trial of the wrongful death lawsuit by Lee's family.

Andersen and his partner that night -- state patrol Sgt. Craig Benz -- testified that Lee held a gun as the 19-year-old dropped his bike and ran on July 22, 2006. That started a foot chase that ended with Andersen shooting Lee dead near Cityview Elementary School in north Minneapolis.

Both Andersen and Benz say Lee didn't heed their screams to stop or drop his gun.

However, Andersen couldn't explain why a pistol isn't evident in photos caught by a surveillance camera.

Lawyers for Lee's family claim the gun found next to his body was planted -- something police deny.

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The trial is expected to last at least a week or two. Outside the courtroom, Padden said he won't put a figure on the actual and punitive damages Lee's family is seeking until his closing arguments.

(© 2010 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

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