CLEVELAND -- A Maple Heights police officer who was arraigned in court Monday in connection with the beating death of an alleged shoplifter pleaded not guilty to charges of murder.

NewsChannel5's Ted Hart reported that Officer Jameel Talley's attorney told reporters that the death of Guy Wills (pictured, below), 41, was the unintended result of their encounter, in which, the attorney claimed, the officer was only trying to do his job.

Monday's arraignment lasted just seconds, and bond for the 35-year-old Maple Heights police officer was set at $10,000.

Talley (pictured, left) was working as a security guard at Dillard's at Randall Park Mall and arrested Wills for allegedly shoplifting. A struggle apparently ensued, and Wills later died.

"This is a tragedy with unintended results," said Pat D'Angelo, Talley's attorney. "(He was) merely doing his job."

D'Angelo pointed out Wills' lengthy criminal record.

"He's been a probation violator (who has been) in and out of drug-treatment (facilities)," he said. "(He has a record of) robbery, theft and failure to comply with a police officer's order."

"But that doesn't mean Talley had to kill him," said Tiffany Dennis, the victim's sister.

Dennis readily admitted that her brother had a history of shoplifting, but she said he was never violent.

It's unclear whether there were any witnesses, but D'Angelo described Talley's version of events.

"They may have seen Mr. Wills going up in the air over Talley's head, but it was not criminal in nature, not intended as a body slam," he said. "(He went) into the ground and fractured his skull."

Family members believe that excessive force was used.

"All the internal bleeding, (collapsed) lung, bruises, the eye -- someone had to beat him. It wasn't just a punch," Dennis said.

The coroner's official ruling is that Wills died from head injuries. He had internal bleeding and bruising, a fractured skull and a broken left collarbone.