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Officers dismissal appeal in fatal shooting begins Thursday (UPDATE)

By: Associated Press//March 18, 2015//

Officers dismissal appeal in fatal shooting begins Thursday (UPDATE)

By: Associated Press//March 18, 2015//

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Protesters sit in front of a police line outside the Bradley Center before an NBA basketball game between the Milwaukee Bucks and the Charlotte Hornets Tuesday, Dec. 23, 2014, in Milwaukee. The group is protesting Monday's announcement that no charges against former police office Christopher Manney were filed in the fatal shooting of Dontre Hamilton. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)
Protesters sit in front of a police line outside the Bradley Center before an NBA basketball game on Dec. 23 in Milwaukee. The group was protesting an announcement that no charges against former police office Christopher Manney were filed in the fatal shooting of Dontre Hamilton. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)

MILWAUKEE (AP) — A police officer who was fired after fatally shooting a man in a downtown Milwaukee park will try to try to get his job back this week.

Christopher Manney was fired by Milwaukee’s police chief for failing to follow department rules when the officer encountered Dontre Hamilton, 31, in Red Arrow Park last April. Chief Edward Flynn said Manney treated Hamilton as a criminal and frisked him when there was no evidence of a crime.

Manney, who is white, shot Hamilton, who was black, on April 30 after responding to a call of a man sleeping in the park. According to Manney’s account, Hamilton grabbed the officer’s baton and attacked him with it, forcing him to open fire. He shot Hamilton 14 times.

Hamilton’s family has said he suffered from schizophrenia.

Manney’s discipline appeal will be heard by Milwaukee’s Fire and Police Commission beginning Thursday. Commissioners will decide whether to reverse, uphold or alter the discipline for Manney.

Milwaukee County District Attorney John Chisholm spent eight months reviewing the incident. Tension in the city mounted as the weeks dragged on, fueled by anger over police killings of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Mo., and Eric Garner in New York. Chisholm announced just before Christmas that he had concluded Manney acted in self-defense and the former officer wouldn’t face criminal charges.

Milwaukee County District Attorney John Chisholm points to a graphic at news conference Monday, Dec. 22, 2014, in Milwaukee. Chisholm announced that there would be no charges against former police office Christopher Manney in the fatal shooting of Dontre Hamilton. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)
Milwaukee County District Attorney John Chisholm points to a graphic at a news conference on Dec. 22 in Milwaukee. Chisholm announced that there would be no charges against former police office Christopher Manney in the fatal shooting of Dontre Hamilton. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)

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