Fallen cop’s mother overcome by colleague’s testimony

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — The trial continues for the man accused of murder in the death of a Wilmington police officer last year. Today jurors heard from several officers including the sergeant who checked Ofc. Richard Matthews’s pulse before he died.

In day four of Anthony Pierce’s murder trial, several police officers took the stand including Sgt. Kurt Stansbury. He told jurors he was on his way to help in the chase when he heard on the dispatch radio that one of his fellow officers has crashed.

When Stansbury arrived at the scene of the crash he rushed to Matthews’s patrol car. Stansbury said he saw Matthews with his eyes closed and hands in his lap. He then checked for a pulse. Stansbury told the jury it was fluttering. Choking up on the witness stand, Stansbury said he tried talking to Matthews saying, “Come on, Rich. Hang on,” but he got no response.

Stansbury’s testimony was too much for Matthews’s mother. She stormed out of the courtroom and had to compose herself before going back in.

Late this afternoon the jury was shown dash cam video from Matthews’s police car.