Kevin Grasha, and Sharon Coolidge

Cincinnati

Key developments

A forensic specialist said Tensing was not dragged by Sam DuBose's Honda

Tensing viewed body camera footage before his official statement to police

Tensing said he was "holding on for dear life" at the time he fired the fatal shot

Jurors on Thursday watched Ray Tensing tell investigators in a video that he shot Sam DuBose because he was being “dragged” by DuBose’s car and was “holding on for dear life.”

An expert in video analysis then broke down Tensing’s body camera video for the jury, millisecond by millisecond. Prosecutors said nearly every frame contradicted what Tensing told police.

That breakdown showed Tensing, who at the time was a University of Cincinnati police officer, pull out his gun and aimed it at DuBose’s head when the car wasn't moving. There was no dragging, according to the expert.

"No, he had not been (dragged),” said Grant Fredericks, a forensic video analyst from Spokane, Washington and FBI instructor.

What the jury takes away from this video testimony is crucial to the prosecution's case against Tensing, who is charged with murder and voluntary manslaughter. Prosecutors say Tensing purposely killed DuBose during a July 19, 2015 traffic stop, and that he was never dragged. Tensing says he was dragged, feared for his life and fired the shot because he "was hanging on for dear life."

"I was thinking, 'oh my gosh, I'm getting dragged by this guy's car, I don't want to die today,' " Tensing told investigators.

Fredericks was questioned by both sides for more than an hour and a half. Jurors listened intently, with little expression. Tensing, too, appeared stoic. DuBose's family came away with a definite conclusion.

"You saw what I saw – it was murder," said DaShonda Reid, DuBose's fiancee.

Columbus lawyer helping Tensing judge with media

In his testimony, Fredericks said that a split-second before the gunshot – .178 seconds – the car began to move a few feet. Prosecutors say they believe DuBose's foot was moving off the brake pedal. According to Fredericks' analysis, the 1998 Honda Accord accelerated only after the gunshot, when prosecutors believe DuBose's foot hit the accelerator in "postmortem reflex."

Hamilton County Prosecutor Joe Deters told reporters Thursday that Fredericks’ analysis “practically contradicts the entire defense.”

“He confirmed what we’ve been saying since opening statements,” Deters said.

Tensing’s attorney, Stew Mathews, offered his own assessment of Fredericks.

"He's an expert, but his opinion is no better than the 12 on the jury," Mathews said. "One thing that I took away, was that the car was in motion when the shot was fired."

Mathews has said Tensing fired in self-defense. In court Thursday, he questioned Fredericks about whether the car moved at a 45-degree angle. That could support Tensing’s statement to investigators that he thought he’d “get sucked under” the car and run over.

Mathews pointed out that the Accord, which Tensing pulled over after seeing it had a missing front license plate, had to drive away from the curb at an angle. It missed another car parked a few car-lengths in front before striking a guard rail at the end of the street on the opposite side.

Mathews also attacked Fredericks' credibility, pointing out he was paid, although the amount was never revealed and Fredericks said he could only give estimates.

"I guess you're guessing about a lot of stuff," Mathews said.

Testimony in the trial, which is in Hamilton County Common Pleas Court, will resume Friday.

Thursday also featured Tensing's video-recorded interview with Cincinnati police investigators two days after the shooting. Tensing told them he had seen his bodycam video. His police union lawyer showed him the video that same morning.

Sgt. Shannon Heine, one of the officers who interviewed Tensing, explained that the UC police union contract allows them to watch video of an incident before being interviewed. That's different than Cincinnati Police Department's policy, she said.

In the interview, Tensing said his intention was to stop the threat.

"The only shot I could see, that I could take to stop the threat, was a head shot," he said. "I just wanted him to stop the car."

Video from the courtroom

Tap here to watch the video on a mobile device

Video breakdown

Less than three seconds are critical to both sides in the murder case against Ray Tensing. After Tensing tried to open Sam DuBose's car door and DuBose pulled it shut, DuBose restarted the car. Tensing said he reached in "to knock the key out and turn the key off." The numbers below are in seconds before Tensing shot DuBose.

2.266: Tensing's hand moves into the car

2.038: Tensing's hand reaching in front of steering wheel

1.744: Reflection of Tensing's legs on car door, standing away from vehicle

1.581: Car has still not moved

1.255: Tensing's left hand moving toward DuBose's seat belt and chest

1.222: Barrel of Tensing's gun enters view

0.928: Tensing yells "stop"

0.816: Gun coming up, Tensing's left hand at DuBose's chest

0.504: Tensing's left hand in contact with seat belt, DuBose left hand in air, right hand on steering wheel

0.276: Tensing's gun toward DuBose's head; Tensing's left hand grasping seat belt

0.178: Possible slight movement forward by DuBose's car

0.113: DuBose's left hand moving downward and away from the gun

0.015: Forward motion of the car

0.000: Audio indicates the fatal shot is fired

Correction: A previous version of this story referred to the time Sam DuBose's vehicle began moving before the fatal shot that killed him was fired as 0.178 milliseconds. It was 0.178 seconds. The timeline description of video slides has been updated to reflect this change.

Mobile readers tap here to view the transcript of Tensing's statement to police

Tensing statement

More trial coverage:

• When it's cops testifying against another cop

• `Rebuild' of DuBose memorial Thursday evening

• Conflicting testimony about the shooting's timing

• Visit our trial page for the latest updates