Former Austin police officer's murder charge dismissed in Michael Ramos death
AUSTIN (KXAN) — The District Attorney’s Office dismissed murder charges Friday for former Austin police officer Christopher Taylor in the 2020 shooting death of Mike Ramos during a confrontation Ramos had with police, according to Taylor’s attorneys.
That weeks long 2023 murder trial ended in a hung jury.
The District Attorney’s Office brought the case back to a grand jury after that mistrial, and that grand jury ruled not to move the case forward.
Taylor’s attorney Doug O’Connell said the case still had an open indictment prior to Friday’s dismissal, but now that it’s dismissed, Taylor officially no longer faces charges in this case. However, O’Connell said there is no statute of limitations on a murder charge, so it could get reopened, but he called that move highly unlikely.
Taylor sentenced in December on separate case
Last year, a jury found Taylor guilty of deadly conduct in a separate case. This is related to the 2019 death of Mauris DeSilva.
Taylor and another APD officer shot DeSilva after police responded to 911 calls of DeSilva walking around his downtown Austin condo complex with a knife to his throat.
Taylor’s attorneys argued Taylor acted in defense of himself and others. Former police chiefs who testified during the sentencing hearing said Taylor acted in accordance with his training.
Prosecutors said DeSilva was undergoing a “profound” mental health episode, and police did not need to shoot him. The jury deliberated for about four days before entering its guilty verdict.
In December, Judge Dayna Blazey sentenced Taylor to two years in prison on the charge.
The case is currently in an appeals process.
