MIAMI (CBSMiami) – Mental health therapist Charles Kinsey is clearly upset with the 3rd District Court of Appeals decision to give North Miami Police Officer Jonathon Aledda a new trial.
“It’s saddening how our justice system is. I feel that as if, if that was a regular citizen here, that person would never have an opportunity to appeal those charges, said Kinsey. “And I believe the only reason they’re doing this, is for him to get back on the force again. I don’t believe he should be on the force again”.
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Back in 2016 North Miami police officers encountered Kinsey and his patient Arnaldo Rios-Soto.
Rios-Soto, who has developmental disabilities, had run from a group home and sat in the middle of an intersection while carrying a toy truck. Kinsey followed and sat down with him in the street.
The officers thought was a gun and that Rios-Soto was holding Kinsey hostage. Kinsey said he told officers that Rios-Soto was holding a toy.
Additional officers arrived, including Aledda, who thought Rios-Soto had a gun and was holding Kinsey hostage. Aledda thought Kinsey was in danger and fired his weapon.
Kinsey was shot in the leg by Aledda. He called the shooting reckless.
“I was reading about the culpable negligence. I think he was charged with the right charges because he did put a lot of lives in danger that day, not just me, even his fellow officers,” said Kinsey.
“He was on the SWAT. He was a sharpshooter and the shot that he took or the shots he took. He shot three times at 152 feet, he shouldn’t have missed his target. That’s the way I feel,” he added.
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It would appear with a second trial if found not guilty, theoretically, Aledda could be reinstated on the police force.
Kinsey believes the appeals court got it all wrong.
“I would be against him being back on the force. Because to me it was reckless and if anyone should have been shot, it shouldn’t have been me”, Kinsey said.
Kinsey now lives in Georgia. He’s back at work supporting his family.
The mental and physical scars from that day in 2016 continue to haunt him.
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“I relive this every day,” Kinsey said. “I have the wound I deal with. I have a problem with my leg. I have to walk with a cane.”
