The jury listened to the closing arguments of the state and defense before they deliberated on a verdict in the trial of Lloyd Barrus.
Barrus is accused of aiding his son Marshall in the May 16th, 2017 shooting death of Broadwater County Sheriff's Deputy Mason Moore.
Prosecutors reiterated that Barrus and his son were men who shared anti-government feelings and had purposefully instigated the deputy into a pursuit on Highway 287. During the pursuit, Marshall shot at the officer and killed him near Three Forks.
"This case is an evil partnership between Lloyd Barrus and and his son, Marshall Barrus, to satisfy their desire, to satisfy their hatred of the government and law enforcement," said Prosectuor Daniel Guzynski.
After the shooting, Barrus is accused of leading police on a wild pursuit across the state that ended in a gun battle with law enforcement in Missoula County. Lloyd surrendered to police, and Marshall was shot and later died in the shootout.
The state rested its case on the eighth day of the trial after calling numerous law enforcement and expert witnesses to the stand to testify.
Defense attorney Craig Shannon also rested his case that day without calling a single witness to testify on behalf of the defense. Barrus also never testified in the case.
The defense closed by arguing that Barrus had no intention to kill the officer.
"It’s [the prosecution's] job to tell you the truth and I’m just pointing out where they didn’t. I told you in jury selection that your job is to find reasonable doubt," said Shannon.
Barrus faces five charges – deliberate homicide by accountability, two counts of attempted deliberate homicide, assault on a peace officer and unlawful possession of a firearm by a convicted felon – in connection with the death of Moore and an ensuing chase and shootout with law enforcement officers.
