In a significant turn of events during the ongoing murder trial related to an on-duty police killing in San Antonio, Friday saw a halt for jurors. This was prompted by defense attorneys who argued that the prosecution had not provided critical details about one of their witnesses.
The tension among the defense team heightened on Thursday with the testimony of Officer Jonathan Salinas. His statements are pivotal to the case against former Officer Eleazar Alejandro and former Sergeant Alfred Flores, who face murder charges, along with former Officer Nathaniel Villalobos, who is dealing with aggravated assault charges.
The stakes are extremely high: if convicted, all three former officers could end up spending life behind bars.
During the cross-examination, Salinas revealed that prior to his testimony, the prosecution had communicated its stance on the case, to which he expressed his disagreement. He asserted that in meetings leading up to the trial, he informed prosecutors that attempting to arrest Perez in her apartment was justified. He believed the officers were in a “fresh pursuit” after she inflicted considerable damage on the building’s fire alarm system, warranting her felony arrest.
Defending attorney Nico LaHood brought attention to Salinas’s frustration regarding how the prosecution interpreted the shooting incident. “You do realize the state suggests that if Melissa Perez had hit you with a hammer and killed you, it would have been justified, right? What do you think about that?” LaHood pressed. Salinas responded with a clear, “Upset,” indicating his discontent with the prosecution’s portrayal.
Defense attorney Jason Goss expressed to District Judge Ron Rangel that the state failed its obligation to inform them about Salinas’s views prior to his witness appearance. “Salinas has indicated he’s been providing this information to the prosecution for years. Yet, we haven’t received any notices that he disagrees with the state’s theory—this is crucial in the case,” Goss claimed.
Prosecutor Daryl Harris countered, stating that all relevant notes from their three discussions with Salinas had been shared with the defense ahead of the trial.
Judge Rangel denied the defense’s request regarding the alleged violation and opted not to dismiss Salinas’s prior testimony.
As for the incident itself, 46-year-old Melissa Perez was fatally shot by Officers Flores, Alejandro, and Villalobos after she allegedly charged at them with a hammer from her back patio in the early hours of June 23, 2023. Authorities noted that Perez may have been undergoing a mental health crisis, with her family confirming her diagnosis of schizophrenia.
Police had responded to her residence after she tampered with the apartment building’s fire alarm system, claiming she did so out of paranoia that the FBI was surveilling her.
Testimonies from official accounts mentioned that an apartment maintenance worker informed the police that the damage to the fire alarm ranged from $2,500 to $5,000.
After showing frustration in a conversation with law enforcement, Perez locked herself inside her apartment. In response, officers attempted to enter through the rear to effect her arrest.
According to Prosecutor David Lunan, Texas law stipulates that the police cannot conduct an arrest inside a person’s home without a warrant, except under certain “exigent circumstances.” However, the officers’ defense contends that a warrant was unnecessary since her criminal activity justified their pursuit and she had a prior history with the police.
Interestingly, prosecutors mentioned that Perez exhibited aggressive behavior when the police approached her apartment, but upon their withdrawal, she retreated. Police Chief William McManus later commented that the officers acted against departmental policy, adding that Perez posed no significant threat as she was separated from them by a door when she charged with the hammer.
