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Garza pleads not guilty; court hears opening statements and disputes over body-worn camera footage
Summary
At the opening of the State of Texas v. Simon Alexander Garza trial, the defendant pleaded not guilty to a manslaughter indictment. Prosecutors previewed video and witness evidence; defense counsel disputed portions of an officer’s body-worn camera recording and pressed for redactions and review.
A defendant in a Bexar County case pleaded not guilty as the 2207th Judicial District Court heard opening statements and began resolving disputes over body-worn camera evidence.
At arraignment, the court clerk read an indictment charging Simon Alexander Garza with one count of manslaughter for an Oct. 13, 2023 collision that prosecutors say killed Jose Luis Fernandez. The judge then asked how the defendant pleaded; the defendant answered, “Not guilty.”
The prosecutor told jurors the state will present video, witness testimony and photos to show Garza ran a traffic signal and that “these were reckless actions [that] caused the death of Jose Luis,” and asked jurors to review all admitted evidence before reaching a verdict. Defense counsel responded in opening that jurors should reserve judgment, described the defendant as a 22-year-old with future goals, and…
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