Austin Police Officer Christopher Taylor Convicted of Deadly Driving

A Travis County jury on Saturday found Austin police officer Christopher Taylor guilty of deadly conduct. He faces up to 10 years in prison.

“We hope this outcome continues to help the DeSilva family in their healing process,” Travis County Prosecutor José Garza said in a statement. “Our office is grateful to our dedicated staff who worked tirelessly to hold the accused accountable and achieve justice for the victim and her family. We further hope that this verdict will allow the community to heal and that we can move forward together. »

Taylor was charged with the murder of Mauris DeSilva, a 46-year-old neuroscientist, in July 2019.

Taylor and another officer, Karl Krycia, responded to 911 calls about DeSilva suffering a mental health crisis and holding a knife to his neck in a downtown condominium.

Officers shot DeSilva after he refused to drop the knife, KUT previously reported.

Taylor was initially charged with DeSilva’s murder, but the charge was reduced to homicidal conduct just a week before testimony began.

“The Austin Police Department respects the criminal justice process and understands that this is a difficult time for everyone who has been impacted,” APD said in a statement.

A judge will decide Taylor’s sentencing date on October 15.

Taylor was also charged with the murder of Michael Ramos, an unarmed Black and Hispanic man, in April 2020.

Taylor was tried for murder in that case, but it ended in a hung jury. A grand jury declined to re-indict him for murder in that case, but he could be retried on lesser charges.