Reese testified he didn't try to kill Fishburn

PORTER COUNTY, Ind. (WISH) - A dramatic turn of events unfolded Monday in the Porter County courtroom.

The man accused of trying to kill and IMPD officer took the stand in his own defense.

Defense Attorney David Shircliff got right to the heart of the matter.

His first question to Reese, “Did you intentionally try to kill Jason Fishburn?

Reese said, “No.”

Then Shircliff asked Reese, “You heard testimony that Gary Rees said you shot Officer Fishburn in the chest and head. Did you tell him that?

Reese again said, “No.”

Gary Rees is the man convicted of auto theft who shared a jail cell with Brian Reese in March. He testified against Reese on Friday.

Then later in questioning Shircliff asked Brian Reese, “Did you know you shot an officer?”

Reese said, “I didn’t know then.”

The attorney said, “But now you do.”

“Yes,” said Reese.

Reese told the story of a how he and his girlfriend and dad smoked crack the night before July 10, 2008.

Reese said police came to his door on July 10 because Reese was wanted on a failure to show up in court on a theft charge warrant and ran from police when they came to the door.

As for the actual shooting of Officer Fishburn, Brian Reese testified that he was running between the houses on Euclid, had the gun in his right hand and shot it behind him over his left shoulder.

He said he didn’t know he had shot anyone until much later, guessing that he might have when one of the arresting officers said to him “You’ll go to hell for this.”

In cross examination Prosecutor Carl Brizzi asked Reese why he didn’t shoot in the sky, or shoot anywhere instead of in the direction of police.

Also in cross examination, Brizzi asked Reese why he took the gun with him in the first place.

He said he didn’t want police to find it in his girlfriend’s home and get her and her family in trouble.

The prosecution may call a couple more rebuttal witnesses on Tuesday.