AUSTIN, Texas — Attorneys for Austin Police Officer Christopher Taylor are asking that his murder trial in the April 2020 shooting death of Michael Ramos be moved out of Austin.
A 319-page motion includes affidavits submitted by some of the city's most veteran attorneys supporting the move, agreeing that they do not believe Taylor could get a fair trial in Travis County.
Former District Attorney Margaret Moore, whose administration first investigated the shooting, also signed an affidavit, saying, "I do not believe it would be appropriate for the trial to take place in Travis County. I do not believe Mr. Taylor could receive a fair trial here."
Current District Attorney José Garza, who brought the murder case against Taylor, unseated Moore in 2020.
Garza's office did not immediately have a comment. It is likely the office will submit a formal response to state District Judge Dayna Blazey in the coming days and could include similar affidavits supportive of their position to keep the trial in Austin.
A move to another county would mean that jurors would be picked likely from a more conservative county, potentially more favorable to Taylor.
Attorneys Doug O'Connell, Ken Ervin and Rob Daniel said in the filing that they believe the case has been inflamed in Austin due to pre-trial publicity. The case has garnered widespread public attention and helped fuel local social justice protests in May 2020, a month before George Floyd's death in Minneapolis.
They also cite the inability to seat a jury in May when the case was initially set for trial because many prospective jurors had formed an opinion about the case. Jury selection was also hampered after Blazey dismissed a panel of prospective jurors because her courtroom was locked during jury selection in violation of the law.
Taylor's attorneys further cite what they consider efforts to intimidate jurors after flyers were placed on cars of prospective jurors outside the criminal courthouse. The flyers said that "Michael Ramos was murdered by Austin police." Authorities are still investigating who is responsible for the flyers.
Taylor shot Ramos after police were called to a southeast Austin apartment complex amid a report of possible drug dealing. When they arrived, they said Ramos did not comply with their commands, and officers used a beanbag round on him.
Ramos then got in a car and started driving. That's when Taylor opened fire.
Taylor's attorneys have said that he shot because he feared his fellow officers were in the path of the car.