AUSTIN, Texas — Five police officers testified on Day 10 of the murder trial of Christopher Taylor, the Austin police officer who shot and killed Michael Ramos outside a southeast Austin apartment complex in April 2020.
On Friday, the jury viewed more body camera footage of what happened that day.
Officers Darrell Cantu-Harkless, Mitchell Pieper and James Morgan were brought in by the defense. All three had previously testified in the trial at the request of the state.
Some other witnesses brought in by the defense were Katrina Ratcliff, who left the Austin Police Department (APD) in the fall of 2020, and Officer Valerie Tavarez, whose bodycam footage was reviewed.
The defense questioned Ratcliff about her recollection of the shooting. Ratcliff remembered conveying to Ramos to not drive and to exit the Toyota Prius he was occupying.
"Tell us again, please, why didn't you want him driving the vehicle," the defense asked.
"Given the layout of the scene, myself and Officer Cantu-Harkless were in the only viable exit, we were in the only path. There was a little bit of driveway left that we were standing on, curb and a little bit more clearance before a tree. We were the only viable path that a vehicle could have taken to exit that area," Ratcliff said.
"Were you concerned that he would try to drive through that gap between Cantu-Harkless' car and the tree?" the defense asked.
"I was," Ratcliff said.
In her testimony, Ratcliff said if she had fired at the Prius, the car would have been an "unguided missile."
The state then cross-examined Ratcliff on her testimony.
"And so, if it's not gonna help anybody in the path of the Prius, then it's not necessary to shoot that driver, is it? Because it's not gonna protect anyone," the state asked.
"Speaking for myself and my position in front of that vehicle," Ratcliff said.
"So your answer to my question is yes," the state pressed.
"Yes," Ratcliff responded.
Tavarez then began her testimony. The court also reviewed her body camera footage.
"If you had been beside Officer Taylor and you had no police officers in front of the barrel of your pistol, do you have a belief today, one way or another, whether you would have shot at about the same time?" the defense asked.
"I believe so, because I believed the vehicle was going directly towards us," Tavarez said.
The state then cross-examined Tavarez.
"You would agree with me that police officers, especially those with APD, are community servants, right?" the prosecution asked.
"Yes," Tavarez responded.
"And they are supposed to serve not only the people they are trying to protect but the people they're trying to apprehend?" the prosecution asked.
"Yes," Tavarez said.
"And you're trained that you should never use force unless it's necessary?" the prosecution asked.
"Correct," Tavarez said.
"And if an officer uses deadly force in violation of a law, who is held accountable for that?" the prosecution asked.
"That officer," Tavarez said.
Day 11 of testimony will begin on Monday morning.