By Jane Hughes in New York

The policemen who shot dead an unarmed African immigrant continued to fire bullets at him after he had fallen to the ground, a court in the state of New York has been told.

The evidence from a medical examiner came shortly before the prosecution rested its case in the trial of four police officers accused of murder.

The shooting of Amadou Diallo this time last year provoked outrage across the United States.

It sparked a number of large and angry demonstrations by protesters who said it was symptomatic of a widespread problem of police racism and brutality.

The racially charged trial is being broadcast live on cable television and is attracting close attention.

Post-mortem

Just before prosecutors rested their case, they called the medical examiner who conducted a post-mortem examination of Mr Diallo, Joseph Cohen, to give evidence.

He said several of Mr Diallo's wounds suggested that the 22 year-old Ghanaian immigrant had been shot as he lay on the ground, paralysed by earlier bullets.

Mr Cohen said one bullet went up his right leg into his knee.

Another struck a toe and a third passed up his left leg.

Mr Cohen evidence is crucial to the prosecution's case that the four officers on trial displayed depraved indifference when they shot Amadou Diallo.

Testimony

So too is the testimony from several neighbours that they heard a pause of up to five seconds between a short and then a longer volley of bullets.

Mr. Diallo was shot at 41 times.

The four officers accused of murdering him say they acted in self defence because they thought he was reaching for a gun.

But the demonstrators, who have held daily vigils outside the courthouse, say the case shows that the widely admired crime fighting tactics of the New York Police Department have got out of hand.