LaHood to make Redus case high priority

Promises swift action if indictment issued

SAN ANTONIO – Last week, Bexar County District Attorney Susan Reed said that out of a sense of fairness in the transition to a new administration it should be up to incoming DA-elect Nico LaHood to present the case of the shooting death of University of the Incarnate Word student Cameron Redus to a grand jury for possible criminal action.

Redus was shot to death by campus police officer Chris Carter during a scuffle with Redus following a traffic stop for erratic driving on Dec. 6, 2013.

The Redus family has filed a civil suit in the case and it is expected to be on a state district court docket after the first of the year.

District Attorney-elect Nico LaHood said Wednesday that he plans to review the case for possible criminal action soon after taking office in January.

"This family deserves answers and they deserve closure," LaHood said.

"If the grand jury true bills it we're going to prosecute it to the full extent of the law," he said. "And if they don't, they don't."

LaHood said "Our job is to make sure that we present the case appropriately to the grand jury."

He was asked that in the wake of recent police officer-involved deaths in Ferguson and New York, he is concerned about a case involving a police officer.

"I'm a big accountability person so if an officer has done something inappropriate they should be held accountable for it," LaHood said.


About the Author:

Paul Venema is a courthouse reporter for KSAT with more than 25 years experience in the role.