After previously pleading not guilty, Joshua Rocha's defense team said he killed North Kansas City Police Officer Daniel Vasquez in July 2022, during opening arguments on Monday, the first day of his trial at the Clay County Courthouse.

Rocha is charged with first-degree murder for Vasquez's death, and Clay County Prosecuting Attorney Zachary Thompson is pursuing the death penalty.

After saying Rocha killed Vasquez, Rocha's defense asked jurors to decide what type of murder was committed under Missouri law.

Police say Vasquez pulled Rocha over for a traffic stop around 10:40 a.m. on July 19, 2022, for an expired temporary registration tag that belonged to another vehicle.

Two graphic videos of the killing one from Vasquez's dash cam and the other from a nearby home surveillance camera

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