Judge reinstates injured lawyer in San Antonio capital murder case
A judge on Wednesday appointed a new attorney and reinstated an injured lawyer who had been removed from a capital murder death case that ended last month in a mistrial while the jury was being selected.
Brian Flores, 36, will continue to be represented by Ed Camara, who suffered a concussion when he fell and hit his head in June. State District Judge Joey Contreras, who is presiding over the case, also appointed John Fahle to assist the defense team headed by Camara and David Woodard.
“This case has been delayed for far too long. We need to proceed,” Contreras said during a hearing to discuss the status of the case.
Flores is accused of capital murder-multiple persons in the deaths of Joshua Rodriguez and Victoria Dennis on Sept. 29, 2015. They were killed at the Churchill Park apartment complex in the 1200 block of Patricia Drive.
Prosecutors Jason Goss and Gretchen Flader began jury selection in early June, but proceedings were delayed after Camara’s accident June 18.
Visiting Judge Susan Reed, former Bexar County district attorney, declared a mistrial in July after Camara’s physician, Burton Shaw, said Camara, 77, had post-concussion syndrome, couldn’t walk a straight line and “is a little slower and muted on his responses.”
Contreras took over after Reed, who was appointed judge after Steven Hilbig retired from the bench last year, withdrew from the case.
Goss and Flader argued Wednesday that they are ready to go to trial in September, but Woodard told the judge they need more time because Fahle needs to get to know their client and get up to speed on the case.
Contreras set a hearing for Aug. 15 to reconvene with all attorneys to discuss going to trial in October.Elizabeth Zavala is a courts and crime reporter in the San Antonio and Bexar County area. Read her on our free site, mySA.com, and on our subscriber site, ExpressNews.com. | ezavala@express-news.net | Twitter: @elizabeth2863