Minnesota Officer Defers Entering Plea in Fatal Shooting

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) - A Minnesota police officer who killed Philando Castile during a traffic stop in July has made his second court appearance.

But St. Anthony officer Jeronimo Yanez deferred Monday on entering until a trial judge is assigned to the case. Further hearings have not been scheduled.

Castile, who was black, was killed July 6 in the St. Paul suburb of Falcon Heights. The shooting's gruesome aftermath was streamed live on Facebook by Castile's girlfriend. Prosecutors said the 32-year-old was shot at seven times after he told Yanez he was armed and had a permit to carry.

Yanez, who is Latino, claims Castile never said he had a permit. Yanez's attorneys want the case dismissed, saying Castile was negligent because he was high on marijuana and didn't obey the officer's commands.