BAYTOWN – Jurors in the trial involving an officer who is charged with aggravated assault by a public servant after the shooting death of Pamela Turner will resume trial on Tuesday.
“It didn’t have to happen,” said prosecutor Tim Adams during his final pitch to the jury.
Adams went on the explain why the deadly force Baytown Police Officer Juan Delacruz used against Turner while trying to arrest her on outstanding warrants was not justified.
Body camera video shows Delacruz trying to arrest Turner, which she resisted, and then Delacruz attempted to tase her twice before Turner somehow grabbed the taser and tased Delazruz in the groin area.
”He had the ability to move away, and he did, and then he shot from feet away. Miss Turner who was still on the ground with a taser in her hand,” Adams said.
Investigators say Delacruz fired five shots, shooting Taylor in the face chest and stomach, and ultimately killing her.
Defense attorney Gregory Cagle argues that officer Delacruz opened fire in self-defense. On Monday, he explained to the jury how Turner not only made a decision to take the officer’s weapon while resisting arrest, but used it against him.
“Can a taser to the genitals cause serious bodily injury? His answer is, yes. That’s what the taser guy tells you. All the training received from the taser printed on the bottom of the device says, ‘Hey, this thing is going to cause serious injury or death.’ You got to defend yourself and you literally have a split second time to make a decision on that,” Cagle said.
SEE MORE:
Ben Crump, family of Pamela Turner call on clergy, community leaders to join prayer vigil
Jury trial underway for Baytown police officer indicted in fatal shooting of Pamela Turner
Video shows confrontation between Baytown officer, woman before deadly shooting
Baytown police officer indicted in fatal shooting of Pamela Turner
Baytown police officer turns himself in after being charged in fatal shooting of Pamela Turner Lawyer shifts legal fight from George Floyd to Pamela Turner