Austin police officer Christopher Taylor to face another murder trial in September 2024

Austin police officer Christopher Taylor — who has been charged with murder in connection with two separate on-duty shootings — is set to face another trial in September 2024. District Judge Dayna Blazey will decide early next year which case will move forward.

Taylor was initially charged with murder for fatally shooting Michael Ramos in a Southeast Austin apartment complex parking lot in April 2020. A Travis County grand jury later handed down another murder indictment in connection with the 2019 shooting death of Mauris DeSilva at a downtown condo building. Police said that DeSilva, who was experiencing a mental health crisis, moved toward officers with a knife. Austin police officer Karl Krycia also faces a murder charge in that case.

The trial for Ramos' death was set to begin in May this year, but Blazey declared a mistrial after difficulties seating a jury. The five-week trial that finally began Oct. 23 also ended in a mistrial when a Travis County jury was unable to unanimously reach a verdict in Ramos case.

On Dec. 13, the parties returned to the 167th District Court to determine what happens next.

Prosecutors said that they are ready to retry Taylor for Ramos' death. But defense attorney Ken Ervin said the district attorney's office should try the DeSilva case next, given that this shooting happened earlier. Ervin also said the DeSilva trial would likely be shorter in duration.

Blazey set a trial date for Sept. 23, 2024, and asked both parties to prepare arguments on whether the Ramos case or the DeSilva case should be tried next. Prosecutors and defense attorneys have until March 8, 2024, to file their briefs.

This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Austin police officer Christopher Taylor to face next murder trial in 2024