Officer justified in killing suspect

Jen Lawson

Monday, Aug. 15, 2005 | 11:26 a.m.

A Metro Police officer was justified in shooting and killing a murder suspect who had allegedly fired a shot at the officer's head, a coroner's inquest jury determined Friday.

Officer Michael Fletcher testified that he was convinced that 19-year-old Barrington Hall wanted to kill him, just as Hall had allegedly killed his ex-girlfriend moments earlier and another woman two weeks prior.

"There was nothing I could have done differently," Fletcher said. "Mr. Hill's intent was to kill me that day."

The incident began the morning of June 24 when Hall knocked on the apartment door of his 19-year-old ex-girlfriend, Rinnah Esteban, at the Silver Palms complex on Jones Boulevard near Lake Mead Boulevard.

Rizzah Esteban, 16, testified that she told her sister not to open the door, but the Rinnah did so anyway.

Moments later, Rizzah said she looked out of her bedroom and saw Hall pointing a gun at her sister. She said she called 911 and hid in the closet.

Hall found the girl hiding and tried to rape her, but Rizzah resisted. He beat her, she said, then Hall left and sat down on the steps outside the door.

The girls' 22-year-old brother Rimmon Esteban said he got home found Hall outside, and when he entered the apartment he found his younger sister covered with blood.

"She said my other sister got shot and was laying in the bathroom," Rimmon Esteban said.

Fletcher arrived and as he was trying to assess the situation by talking to the Estebans at the doorway, Hall pulled a gun from a backpack and pointed it at Fletcher's head, Fletcher said.

"I turned my head and saw a .38 pistol pointed directly at my facial area," he said. "I saw the muzzle blast and I instinctively ducked downward and to the right. I felt the burning heat of the blast on my head."

Hall ran down the apartment stairs and Fletcher followed, he said. As Hall was running he allegedly pointed the gun back at Fletcher, and the officer fired four shots at him.

Hall died at University Medical Center. A medical examiner testified that he had methamphetamine in his system.

Rinnah Esteban was found in the bathroom, shot in the head.

Fletcher suffered a minor gunpowder wound to his head.

Fletcher said he thought Hall looked familiar, then after the shooting he realized Hall's picture had been shown to officers that morning. Hall was wanted for questioning in connection with 21-year-old Shelby Ako's rape and murder on June 10.