Prosecution relies on criminal part of Christopher Taylor trial

AUSTIN, Texas – The prosecution heard Thursday at Christopher Taylor’s sentencing phase.

This came after a jury found him guilty of deadly conduct in the death of 46-year-old Mauris DeSilva.

On July 31, 2019, police were called to Spring Condominiums because DeSilva was holding a knife to his own throat. DeSilva was shot by Taylor after he charged at officers with a knife.

The state argues that DeSilva is in a serious mental health crisis and needs help.

The defense argues Taylor should have protected himself because DeSilva was within six feet of him with a knife in his hand.

For sentencing, the state presented what it wanted the judge to consider.

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They called DeSilva’s father on Wednesday and Jelicka Long, who works at Spring Condominiums, on Thursday.

He says DeSilva experienced some behavioral changes in the months before his death, making some residents uncomfortable.

“He was a little quieter, he wasn’t going out, he was running every day,” Long said. “He would go to the gym and come at me, use equipment inappropriately, dance around the gym. I’m not sure if he was wearing headphones, I didn’t notice any weird dancing by my standards, weird.”

The state also summoned multiple officers from the Michael Ramos case. Taylor was previously tried for his death in 2020.

The case was declared a mistrial after the jury deadlocked last fall. The new grand jury did not reindict Taylor in this case.

The judge also heard from Taylor’s firearms training instructor, Jonathan Slayton.

“If an officer is 10 to 15 feet away from a suspect with a knife and is coming toward him, do you believe that is a deadly force situation?” defense attorney Doug O’Connell asked.

“Yes,” Slayton replied.

The defense is scheduled to present its case on November 25 and November 26. The delay is due to a scheduling conflict. The judge will decide Taylor’s sentence next.