Police on trial in Albuquerque: What you need to know

Albuquerque, New Mexico (CNN)Police in Albuquerque were already under scrutiny for a series of fatal shootings when officers responded March 16, 2014, to a complaint about a homeless man camping in the foothills above the city.

Hours later, after a tense standoff, the man lay dead, shot three times by police. The incident, captured on video by an officer's body camera, ignited community outrage and led prosecutors to charge two officers with murder — the first Albuquerque police officers to be prosecuted for killing someone in the line of duty in more than 30 years.

Former Albuquerque officers Dominique Perez and Keith Sandy go on trial here Monday on charges of second-degree murder, voluntary manslaughter and aggravated battery. The case is one of a handful of fatal police shootings in recent years to capture national attention, sparking protests coast to coast amid a growing debate about law enforcement's use of deadly force.
But there's another layer to the story.

A month after the 2014 shooting, an investigation by the Department of Justice found a "pattern or practice of use of excessive force" by Albuquerque police going back years. The department has agreed to make changes. But some observers will be watching the trial closely, fearing that not-guilty verdicts will make it harder for prosecutors to hold police accountable when they go too far.
Here's a closer look at the case.

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