ROSWELL, Ga. — The man accused of shooting and killing a Roswell police officer pleaded not guilty on Tuesday morning in Fulton County Court.
Edward Espinoza is accused of shooting Officer Jeremy Labonte, 24, several times outside Ace Pickleball Club in February.
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He’s charged with murder, felony murder, aggravated assault and possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony.
A trial date has not been set.
A GBI investigator testified on questioning Espinoza after the shooting happened.
“He said he knew what he did was wrong. When we asked him again, he panicked and he said he just didn’t want to go back to jail,” said GBI Investigator Jerriel Mann.
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Labonte responded to a suspicious person call at the Market Boulevard location. Police say that as he approached Espinoza, the officer was shot and killed.
In March, Espinoza sat expressionless in court as investigators showed surveillance footage of the night Labonte was killed.
Video shows Espinoza enter the pickleball club and speak with an employee who he asked if there were any Marines there.
“At that time, he followed up by saying, if there’s any Marines, there was going to be trouble,” investigator Jerriel Mann said in court.
When Espinoza went outside, the employee called 911. That’s when they say Labonte showed up and was shot.
Espinoza was arrested just minutes after the shooting.
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