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Editor’s note: The above video is KXAN’s coverage of this trial from Thursday, Nov. 2, 2023.
AUSTIN (KXAN) — Friday, attorneys representing Austin Police Officer Christopher Taylor will continue presenting their case after the state rested Wednesday. Taylor is on trial for murder in the death of Michael Ramos.
Taylor shot and killed Ramos, 42, during an incident with police back in April 2020 at a south Austin apartment complex parking lot. Taylor is on administrative leave with APD.
KXAN’s Grace Reader will be in the courtroom Friday providing live updates on social media platform X:
Day 10: Back in the courtroom this morning for the trial of APD Officer Christopher Taylor. Officer Darrell Cantu-Harkless is back on the stand to be cross-examined. Thread here🔽
— Grace Reader (@GraceReaderTV) November 3, 2023
Previous coverage of this trial:
APD officers back on the stand
During his opening statement, Doug O’Connell — one of Taylor’s attorneys — said the defense would call back APD officers the jury has already heard from. That included Detective Benjamin Hart and Officer Darrell Cantu-Harkless. Both were on the scene with Taylor.
O’Connell said he intended to ask each of the officers why they personally didn’t shoot Ramos. Hart said he had turned away from Ramos briefly to assess the scene, which is when he heard the shots Taylor fired.
“I turned, and by the time I looked up, the car was turning right and driving away from us,” Hart responded.
Hart’s body camera video was played in cross-examination by the state. This time the jury saw more of that video, including the moments after the shooting. The defense played Cantu-Harkless’ video again as well — asking him to point out why officers approached the way they did and in the area they did.
The defense also asked Cantu-Harkless why he didn’t shoot at Ramos. He said his positioning would have made it ineffective.
“Thinking the car is coming at me, no matter how many times I shoot at it — it’s not going to stop a moving car,” he testified.
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