Jury deliberates for four days before convicting Austin officer of deadly conduct

A jury unanimously found Officer Christopher Taylor guilty of deadly conduct for the 2019 death of 46-year-old Mauris DeSilva.

The dramatic, nearly two-week trial came to an end just after 2 p.m. Saturday.

It's a bombshell verdict, according to Austin Area Lawyer Adam Loewy.

"This is the first time in the history of the entire county that a police officer has been found guilty of criminal conduct related to a police shooting," Loewy said.

Taking four days of deliberation, Loewy says now it is a waiting game on if members of the jury speak out.

"If some jurors come forward and say they didn't want to rule this way or if there's any allegations like that," said Loewy. "I kind of think we're going to hear things like that."

Jurors used police body camera video to help them reach their verdict.

The video showed what Taylor and three other officers saw at the Spring Condominiums in downtown Austin, where DeSilva resided at the time.

It showed him holding a large knife in his hand and not putting it down after officers told him to.

That is when officers Taylor and Karl Krycia fired their guns.

DeSilva was later pronounced dead at a hospital from his injuries.

Attorneys for the prosecution and defense agree DeSilva was going through a series of mental health crises.

Deadly conduct is a third-degree felony.

Loewy says Judge Blazey can sentence Taylor anywhere from probation to 10 years.

"The question is going to be whether Officer Taylor stays out of prison during the pendency of the appeal," said Loewy.

Judge Blazey said Taylor's punishment will take some time to decide.

She is calling for a sentencing hearing sometime in the next two weeks.

In a statement on the verdict, District Attorney Jose Garza said they hope this outcome continues to help the DeSilva family with their healing process.

This is the second trial Officer Taylor has faced in the past year.

He was also charged in the 2020 killing of Michael Ramos.

That one ended in a mistrial.

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