AUSTIN, Texas — Day four of testimony has wrapped up in the murder trial of Austin police officer Christopher Taylor, with the State presenting several more witnesses including a medical examiner to discuss the death of Michael Ramos in 2020.
Some of the first witnesses who testified were Officers James Morgan and Mitchell Pieper, who were with Taylor the day Ramos was confronted. The court reviewed more body camera footage leading up to the encounter, and the state brought up a digital recreation of the scene, asking an officer to label where each officer was and if the movement of Ramos' car was in the path of any of the officers.
Other witnesses who testified included Eduardo Eguia, a paramedic with Austin-Travis County EMS (ATCEMS) and Dr. Keith Pinckard, the Chief Medical Examiner for Travis County who reviewed Ramos' autopsy report and photographs.
Prosecutor Dextor Gilford asked Pinckard to determine the bones and tissues that were affected by the projectile.
"The description in the report is that there was some hemorrhage deep to the scalp here, obviously underneath. Can't see it in the photo, there were skull fractures, there was damage to the brain tissue itself, the projectile lacerated or tore the brain tissue and [caused] bleeding," Pinckard said.
During the State's questioning, Pinckard discussed Ramos' toxicology results.
"There was cocaine, there was methamphetamine and amphetamine which is a metabolite, compounds indicating marijuana use and there was Eutylone," Pinckard said.
Eutylone is better known as bath salts.
The defense went on to cross-examine Pinckard, asking him what sort of behaviors the medical field would expect from a person under the influence of amphetamine and methamphetamine.
"I can't speak necessarily to behaviors that somebody might choose to do. In general, cocaine and methamphetamine are cardiac stimulant drugs that cause increases to blood pressure and heart rate," Pinckard said.
Among the others that testified were the detective in charge of investigating the scene and an officer with APD's K9 unit.
Day five of testimony is expected to start Friday, with the State expected to be finished with their witness testimony by Tuesday.