Because of problems with selecting a jury, a judge has declared a mistrial in the case of an Austin police officer charged with murder in the shooting death of a man.
The trial of officer Christopher Taylor will be reset for June, attorneys said Friday.
Taylor fatally shot Mike Ramos in 2020 in a parking lot in Southeast Austin after a group of officers responded to a 911 call reporting that a person possibly involved in a drug deal had a gun. It is believed to be the first time an Austin police officer has been charged with murder for an incident while on duty.
Judge Dayna Blazey declared a mistrial during the jury selection process after defense attorneys filed a motion for one on Friday.
Blazey said there were problems picking a jury this week, including potential jurors having vacation plans and reporting not feeling safe. A mysterious envelope was placed on one potential juror’s car parked outside the courthouse, Blazey said during the court proceedings.
A jury had been picked on Monday, but the entire panel was dismissed because the courtroom doors had been locked, preventing the public from viewing the process.
As of Friday, the attorneys only had seven jurors picked for the trial and needed a total of 14. Blazey said another jury panel with 100 people to choose from won’t be available until June 5.