The Latest: Officer With Crisis Training Recalls Standoff

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — An Albuquerque police officer trained to handle encounters with the mentally ill says he had achieved some progress in negotiations with a homeless man to drop his knives before officers with a tactical unit moved in to replace him. The testimony from Officer Mikal Monette on Tuesday came as a special prosecutor questioned him about the March 2014 standoff that ended with the fatal shooting of homeless camper James Boyd. Boyd was diagnosed with schizophrenia. Now-retired Detective Keith Sandy and former Officer Dominique Perez are standing trial on second-degree murder charges in Boyd's death. Special prosecutor Randi McGinn has faulted police for their response to Boyd's illegal campsite, saying a series of fateful decisions escalated the encounter and led to Boyd's death. Monette also recalled Boyd went through volatile moodswings after he threatened officers.