Defendant testifies in Thor Soderberg murder trial

CHICAGO (WLS) -- Bryant Brewer, on trial for killing Chicago police officer Thor Soderberg, took the stand as the first witness in his own defense Thursday and claimed the shooting was

Prosecutors say Brewer was out to get police officers when he shot and killed Soderberg five years ago with the officer's own gun in an Englewood police facility parking lot.

Brewer was on the stand for over two hours. During his testimony, he said the shooting was accidental, and also admitted he was a drug dealer. Brewer used the n-word and at one point he stood and refused to sit down.

Using his attorney's hands, Brewer demonstrated to the court how he and Soderberg struggled with the officer's gun. He told a very different version of events than what prosecutors say happened. Brewer testified that he was cutting through the parking lot on his way to his mother's house. As he hopped a fence, Brewer says Soderberg grabbed him and started pistol whipping him. He claims the gun fell and both struggled with it. He told the court, "I was a scared, man," and went on to say, " I didn't pull the trigger, I didn't have my finger on the trigger, a shot just went off." Brewer claims all of the shots that hit Soderberg just went off.

After the shooting, surveillance video shows Brewer firing off shots at a handyman and a female police officer. The defense says Brewer's story is key because while cameras captured before and after the incident, there is no videotape of the shooting iteself.

Usually in trials the defendant is the last person to testify, if they choose to at all, but in this case it was defense strategy to put Brewer on the stand first. They hope to demonstrate that he is mentally ill. The first witness for the defense on Friday will be a psychiatrist.