A former Texas police officer is on trial for manslaughter after killing an unarmed Black man during a 2019 traffic stop. Despite following the officer’s commands, Michael Dean, 28, was still shot in the head at point blank range.
“If my son was in the wrong, so be it but why is he dead?” Michael Dean’s mother, Christine Dean told Temple Daily Telegram.
The jury trial of former Temple Police Officer, Carmen DeCruz, 55, is underway to learn if he will serve prison time for the shooting.
“Michael Dean was taken away from them almost three years ago. His body was missing for a week and they were not given any narrative to what happened to him,” civil rights attorney Lee Merritt said.
Merritt is representing Dean’s family in their ongoing lawsuit against the city.
The incident happened around 8 p.m. on Dec. 2, 2019. According to the arrest affidavit, DeCruz first encountered Dean after he was allegedly speeding. DeCruz activated his patrol car lights to initiate a traffic stop. Dean did not immediately stop his vehicle and DeCruz pursued the vehicle until Dean reached an intersection shortly after.
After Dean came to a stop, DeCruz pulled around Dean’s vehicle in an attempt to “block him” according to the arrest affidavit.
DeCruz approached Dean’s vehicle from the front passenger door with his service weapon drawn. He ordered Dean to turn off the vehicle and hand him the keys.
“Officer DeCruz is seen reaching into Dean’s vehicle in an attempt to gain control of the keys to the vehicle with his left hand while holding his duty issued firearm, a handgun, in his right hand. Officer DeCruz had the handgun pointed at Dean with his finger on the trigger,” the arrest affidavit said.
“Officer DeCruz pulled on the keys with his left hand and his right hand also pulls backwards causing the handgun to fire striking Michael Dean in the head,” the report continued.
Dean received medical aid but was pronounced…
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