Ex-Orlando cop found not guilty in son's death

ORLANDO, Fla. — A former Orlando police officer was found not guilty in the October 2011 shooting death of his son.

Tim Davis Sr. said he shot and killed his son, Tim Davis Jr., 22, in self-defense. Part of the action was captured on security video.

It took jurors five hours to find Davis not guilty of killing his son.

More than an hour and a half into deliberations on Thursday, the jury asked to see the security video of the shooting and the time leading up to it.

During closing arguments, prosecutor Jim Altman showed the jury how the laser sight on the retired officer's gun would have helped him aim more accurately and said he used that laser to make sure he hit his son not once, but twice.

Altman told the jury the security video contradicts Davis' second account of what he did once he got his gun.

"He lies to the grand jury when he said he had the gun to his side and he said, 'Tim, get back,'" said Altman. "And he thought he could get away with that lie because he didn't know there was a video. And now, when the video proves that was a lie, he comes up with a totally different statement."

Even though Davis has given three stories about what happened the day he shot and killed his son, the defense said he had no reason to lie.

“It shows you never know what a jury is going to do,” said WFTV legal analyst Bill Sheaffer. “Arguing reasonable doubt is a very powerful argument, powerful instruction, jurors take that very seriously.”

Davis testified Wednesday that he was afraid of his son, who had gotten the best of him during a physical fight.

Davis also claims he fired two shots in his son's direction to scare him.

"I was dazed. I was disoriented. I was dizzy. I was hurt. I was lethargic. I was scared," he said.

Defense attorney Robert Nesmith said Davis was the victim after being badly beaten.

The defense said Davis was in fear of his son coming after him and beating him again, so he fired the two shots.

The home security video shows Davis approaching his son with the gun still in his hand after he fired the shots.

"The video only told part of the story. It was up to us to tell the rest. The jury listened and came out with the right verdict," Nesmith said.

Davis's attorney argued Davis had the right to stand his ground and defend himself against his son.

The defense said it was just a terrible tragedy, and nothing more.

"While this was a victory for the Davis, it was a loss still for the loss of his son. He truly loved his son. Nothing can replace that," said Nesmith.

Had Davis been convicted, he could have spent the rest of his life in prison.

WFTV