Jury convicts suspect of murder in 2011 death of Vallejo Police Officer James Capoot

Laura Anthony Image
ByLaura Anthony KGO logo
Saturday, July 25, 2015
Jury convicts suspect of murder in 2011 death of Vallejo police officer
A Solano County jury has convicted Henry Albert Smith Jr. of first-degree murder in the 2011 death of Vallejo Police Officer James Capoot.

FAIRFIELD, Calif. (KGO) -- A Solano County jury has found Henry Albert Smith Jr. guilty on all counts of first-degree murder in the 2011 death of Vallejo Police Officer James Capoot.

Capoot was fatally shot as he chased down Smith in a North Vallejo neighborhood following a bank robbery. Capoot pursued the suspect behind some homes and shots were fired. When Capoot's fellow officers reached him they saw that he had been shot three times. He died from his injuries.

Deliberations in the trial had to restart twice.

Just this week, the judge removed a juror for bias against police after the juror allegedly called a bailiff quote "a thug with a gun."

Earlier, a juror had to be replaced due to a health emergency. A judge also became ill at one point in the trial.

Prosecutors are seeking the death penalty against Smith.