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December 6, 2009

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NHP trooper cleared in February shooting

Friday, May 29, 1998 | 11:36 a.m.

The jury, consisting of Douglas County residents Virginia Nenzel, Bob Gable and Ray Lummos, deliberated for less than 30 minutes before deciding Thursday that NHP Trooper Michael Gyll shot Brian Lee Speaker, 37, in self-defense.

Speaker led officers on a high-speed chase after they stopped him to serve a felony theft warrant. Gyll caught up with Speaker and shot him when he tried to run over Gyll.

"It was pretty clear, as tragic as it was, that it was a justifiable shooting," Lummos said. "There was no disagreement."

Speaker had an extensive criminal history and had been released from parole in Kansas less than six weeks before the Feb. 13 shooting. Kansas officials say his criminal history dated back to 1979 and included convictions for theft, battery, grand theft of an auto, eluding officers, burglaries and drugs.

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