Man who killed Salinas cop testifies in court
Gustavo Morales, the defendant in the murder trial of Salinas Officer Jorge 'JD' Alvarado, took the witness stand and admitted to shooting and killing the officer during a traffic stop. Morales claimed he acted out of fear for his own life, believing Alvarado would shoot him if he saw the loaded gun in Morales' car. Morales testified that a previous violent encounter with Salinas police officers influenced his perception of law enforcement, leading him to identify them as "good cop, bad cop" without being able to differentiate between them. The prosecution highlighted that Morales had multiple contacts with the police without any use of force prior to the incident. If convicted, Morales faces life in prison without parole.