AUSTIN, Texas — Jury selection starts Monday in the trial of an Austin Police Department (APD) officer indicted for shooting a man who police say was coming toward officers with a knife while suffering an apparent mental break.
A pretrial hearing was held Sept. 20 for Officer Christopher Taylor, who will be tried on a charge of deadly conduct. Taylor had remained under a murder indictment since 2021, but the KVUE Defenders confirmed last week that prosecutors will now seek a conviction on the lesser felony in connection with the death of Mauris DeSilva.
It is not clear how long jury selection might take in this case.
Background information
Taylor and another officer opened fire on DeSilva, a scientist and researcher, after police said he moved toward them with a knife. Police had been called to a Downtown Austin high-rise on July 31, 2019, after DeSilva was seen holding a knife to himself while apparently suffering a mental break.
Taylor stood trial last year on a murder charge in connection with the 2020 shooting of Michael Ramos. A jury deadlocked, and prosecutors have since said they will not retry Taylor in that case.
The attorney for DeSilva's family said they still hope for justice in his death and a conviction for Taylor on the deadly conduct charge.