1 week Ago
PORTLAND, Ore. — Jury selection began Monday in the retrial of Geoffrey Hammond , a former Uber driver accused of fatally shooting a man and injuring another during a road rage encounter in downtown Portland. Hammond now faces charges of second-degree murder and attempted murder after a Multnomah County jury in December was unable to reach a unanimous verdict on those counts.
He was convicted of separate assault and weapons charges and has not been sentenced for these crimes. Hammond remains in custody. The deadly encounter unfolded around 4:30 p.
m. on Oct. 11, 2023, near Southwest Alder Street and 10th Avenue.
Surveillance video shows Hammond parked near the Moxy Hotel when Ryan Martin, 47, approached his car following a brief exchange of gestures in traffic. After about 13 seconds of interaction, Hammond shot Martin from inside his vehicle. Hammond later admitted to police he tried to shoot again, but the gun jammed.
Martin, a husband and father from Southwest Washington, died at the scene. He was unarmed. READ MORE: How a road rage confrontation in downtown Portland turned deadly Moments later, as Hammond drove away, he shot and wounded Sam Gomez, a visiting conference attendee who was filming the aftermath.
Gomez survived. In a 911 call placed after the shooting, Hammond calmly described the events to a dispatcher, saying he acted in self-defense, before driving to a parking garage and turning himself over to police. In interviews after the trial, one juror said the video and witness evidence made the case for conviction clear.
“Especially the video evidence, I mean, what can you deny about that?” said Martine Freiberger, who served on the jury. She said 11 jurors voted to convict on both murder-related counts — just one person disagreed . Defense attorneys maintain Hammond believed he was in danger and acted to protect himself.
Prosecutors argue that Hammond’s use of force was unjustified and far exceeded any reasonable claim of self-defense. The retrial is expected to last two weeks. If the second jury also fails to reach a unanimous decision, the Multnomah County District Attorney’s Office will determine whether to pursue a third trial or consider alternative options.
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