A Bexar County jury on Monday discovered all three former San Antonio law enforcement officials charged within the killing of Melissa Perez not responsible on all counts, ending a monthlong trial.
The fees stemmed from a June 23, 2023 taking pictures inside Perez’s Southwest Aspect house. Perez, 46, had been experiencing a psychological well being episode when officers responded that evening.
Former officers Eleazar Alejandro and Alfred Flores had been charged with homicide, aggravated assault with a lethal weapon and lethal conduct. Former officer Nathaniel Villalobos confronted aggravated assault with a lethal weapon and lethal conduct costs. All had been acquitted.
In accordance with body-camera descriptions and metropolis statements, Perez initially spoke with officers outdoors her unit earlier than retreating inside and locking the door. The three officers moved to a again patio, the place Perez broke a window with a hammer and threw objects towards them. The officers then fired by way of the window, killing her.
Metropolis officers moved rapidly following the taking pictures: the officers had been arrested inside 24 hours, and Police Chief William McManus mentioned their actions “weren’t constant” with SAPD coverage or with division coaching for mental-health calls. A later evaluation discovered the officers did not observe a number of long-standing directives, together with de-escalation necessities and steerage on safely dealing with barricaded topics.
Perez’s household filed a civil wrongful demise lawsuit that was dismissed by a choose on Sept. 29.
A spokesperson for the Bexar County District Lawyer’s workplace mentioned the workplace “respects the jury’s verdict and has no additional remark.”
