Jurors hear closing arguments in trial of Ohio officer charged in the killing of Ta'Kiya Young

COLUMBUS, Ohio – Jurors at the murder trial of an Ohio officer charged in the death of a pregnant Black mother who had been accused of shoplifting were asked Wednesday to focus on answering one question: Was it “reasonable” for him to fatally shoot her?

A prosecutor said in her closing argument that 21-year-old Ta’Kiya Young wasn’t a threat to Blendon Township police officer Connor Grubb when he shot her in a supermarket parking lot. Rather, she was trying to get away.

“The state is not saying that the defendant woke up that morning and wanted to discharge his firearm,” Montgomery County Prosecutor Erin Claypoole said. “The state is saying when he made that decision, it was not a reasonable one, which means it was not a justified shooting.”

Defense attorney Mark Collins accused the prosecution of advancing “false narratives" about the sequence of events. In his closing, he downplayed prosecutors' emphasis on death being a severe penalty for the misdemeanor crime that Young was alleged to have committed. Instead, he highlighted that Grubb feared for his life as he perceived she was accelerating her vehicle toward him and felt himself being struck. That fear made his use of force “objectively reasonable,” the defense has said.

“The reaction of his use of force wasn’t prompted because of the theft from the store," he said. "It was the car coming at him. It’s just not that complicated, ladies and gentlemen.”

Grubb faces up to life in prison if convicted of murder. He’s also charged with involuntary manslaughter and felonious assault in Young’s death on Aug. 24, 2023. Franklin County Common Pleas Judge David Young, no relation to Ta’Kiya, dropped four of 10 counts against him that related to the death of Young’s unborn daughter, agreeing with his attorneys Tuesday that prosecutors failed to present proof that Grubb knew Young was pregnant when he shot her.

The prosecution and defense both rested Tuesday after a roughly two-week trial. Jurors were shown bodycam video of the shooting, and heard testimony from a use-of-force expert, an accident reconstructionist, the officer who with Grubb had ordered Young out of her car and a police policy expert.

They never heard from Grubb, whose side of the story was contained in a written statement read into the record by a special agent for the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation. Prosecutors were not able to question Grubb himself in court.

Sean Walton, an attorney representing Young’s family, Nadine Young, Ta’Kiya’s grandmother, and an aunt, Michelle White, said they had expected Grubb to take the stand.

“It is curious that he did not testify. But the video speaks for itself and if he wants the video to speak for him, then so be it,” Walton said. Jurors also saw the bodycam video of the other officer, Sgt. Erick Moynihan, during the proceedings.

Young and White appeared emotionally tired while taking questions from reporters Tuesday. White said that the verdict will allow the family “to finally be able to start the healing process.” At various times, Nadine held back tears while talking about the toll of the trial.

“I just gotta hold on to God and just know, God, he’s in control,” Nadine said.

Grubb and Moynihan had approached Young’s car outside a Kroger in suburban Columbus about a report that she was suspected of stealing alcohol from the store. She partially lowered her window and protested as both officers cursed at her and yelled at her to get out. On bodycam video, Young could be heard asking them, “Are you going to shoot me?”

Then, she put on a turn signal and her car rolled slowly forward toward Grubb, who fired a single bullet through her windshield into her chest, the bodycam recording showed.

In the statement, Grubb said he positioned himself in front of Young’s vehicle to provide proper backup. He said he drew his gun after he heard Young fail to comply with Moynihan’s commands. When her car moved toward him, he said, he felt the vehicle hit his legs and shins and begin to lift his body off the ground as he shot.

Moments later, after the car came to a stop against the building, the officers are seen breaking the driver’s side window. Police said they tried to save her life, but she was mortally wounded. Young and her unborn daughter were subsequently pronounced dead at a hospital.

A full-time officer with the township since 2019, Grubb was placed on paid administrative leave after the shooting.