Officer

Kansas City Man Found Guilty of Attempted Murder in 2020 Police Officer Shooting Incident

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Kansas City, Mo. — A Kansas City, Kansas man has been convicted of attempted second-degree murder after he shot a police officer in a 2020 confrontation which followed a routine traffic stop. Jesse James Flaugher faced initial charges of both attempted capital murder and illegal possession of a firearm by a felon, but jurors arrived at the lesser charge on Thursday. The sequence of events leading to the shooting began with Flaugher’s refusal to halt his vehicle after a Kansas City, Kansas police officer attempted to stop him for not wearing a seatbelt. Court documents … Read more

East Texas Officer Wins $21.35 Million in Wrongful Termination Suit After Retaliation by City Officials

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QUITMAN, Texas — A former police captain in East Texas has won a staggering $21.35 million lawsuit against local officials, who a jury found had wrongfully terminated him and retaliated against him after he exercised his First Amendment rights. Terry Bevill, the ex-police captain from Quitman, had filed the lawsuit following his controversial dismissal in 2017. Bevill was terminated from the Quitman Police Department after he submitted an affidavit requesting a venue change for a colleague’s trial, citing potential local bias. The affidavit, filed as a private citizen, became the center of a whirlwind case … Read more

Juror Reveals Deliberation Details Behind Travis County’s Historic Conviction of Officer in On-Duty Shooting

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AUSTIN, Texas – In a landmark decision, a Travis County jury has handed down a conviction to an Austin Police officer for a deadly shooting while on duty, marking the first such case in the county’s history. The officer, Christopher Taylor, was found guilty of deadly conduct in the shooting death of Mauris DeSilva, a Sri Lankan researcher who was experiencing mental health issues at the time of the incident. The verdict follows intense deliberations, highlighted by an examination of extensive body camera footage, which reportedly played a crucial role in the jury’s decision. The … Read more

Austin Officer Convicted in Fatal 2019 Incident; Sentencing Set for Mid-October

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AUSTIN, Texas – Austin Police Officer Christopher Taylor was convicted of deadly conduct related to the 2019 death of Dr. Mauris DeSilva, officials confirmed. The verdict was reached by a Travis County jury on Saturday after extensive deliberations that lasted three days. In a case that has drawn considerable local attention, Officer Taylor faced charges stemming from an incident that occurred approximately four years ago in the bustling downtown area of Austin. The jury’s decision marks a significant moment in the discussion surrounding police conduct and accountability in the community. Dr. Mauris DeSilva, a noted … Read more