ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Body camera video shows the moments when Albuquerque police officers removed a man from a Target self-checkout in 2022. 

Now, two years later, the lead officer from that incident hd’as been fired from APD, and has been on trial this week. 

APD Officer Kenneth Skeens was let go for allegedly unlawfully arresting a man back in 2022. 

According to Skeens, he thought Matthew McManus was trying to shoplift. Court documents show Skeens said he had Target loss prevention approval to remove McManus from the store. 

But during Skeens trial this week, McManus testified he was trying to pay for a bike when officers threw him out of the store. 

McManus says he didn’t know it was APD officers arresting him. 

“I thought they were security guards at first,” said McManus. 

The state says McManus was not doing anything illegal at the time.

“Taking too long to pay for something isn’t a crime and there was no crime was committed and that’s why he crossed the line even if he had authority to contact him from the Target employees, he did not have authority to drag the man out of the target against his will, and place him in handcuffs demanding identification,” said Johnna Walker, state prosecutor. 

But Skeens’ attorney argued Skeens received permission from Target employees to issue a criminally trespass to McManus and remove him. 

“At that point he has a lawful objective to go up to the individual and remove him from the store at the store’s request,” said John D’Amato Jr., Skeens’ defense attorney. 

Skeens is charged with false imprisonment, perjury and making a false report. He was also facing a battery charge that was later dropped.

The jury is expected to start deliberating on Monday.