AUSTIN, Texas — Prosecutors in Travis County will no longer pursue a murder charge against Austin Police Department Officer Christopher Taylor in the July 2019 shooting death of a mentally ill man. Instead, prosecutors will seek a conviction on a lesser felony.
The KVUE Defenders confirmed this development Tuesday afternoon from Taylor's defense attorneys and an attorney representing the family of Mauris DeSilva. This case is set for trial next week in Travis County court.
Taylor has remained under a murder indictment since 2021, but prosecutors have told DeSilva's family and Taylor's defense team that he will be tried on a charge of deadly conduct.
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.
This case is significant because it marked the second time Taylor faced a murder charge. A grand jury also indicted him for murder in the 2020 shooting of Michael Ramos. Taylor stood trial last year on that charge, and a jury deadlocked. Prosecutors have since said they will not retry Taylor in that case.
Experts say this latest move in the upcoming trial over the DeSilva shooting may give a hint about how prosecutors view the strength of their case.
"I think that abandoning the murder charge raises serious questions about the state's ability to prove this case at trial," Austin attorney Jorge Vela said.
The Travis County District Attorney's Office said Tuesday afternoon that it could not comment on an active case. A final pretrial hearing is set for Friday.
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.