SAN ANTONIO –
As jury selection in the murder trial of Dustin Osborne, 20, wrapped up Monday. Osborne’s attorney said, “This is a case of self-defense, not murder.”
Osborne is accused of shooting to death Ralph Lopez, 34, during an altercation on the night of Aug. 11, 2014.
Osborne’s attorney said that his client fired the fatal shot as his uncle, Gabriel Aguilar, was being attacked.
“The uncle turned around as he was being hit,” said defense attorney Pat Hancock. “We believe that he saw a weapon and told my client to shoot, and he did.”
Hancock said that the shooting was justified.
“We believe that after all of the dust settles and all of the witnesses testify that we’ll have a strong argument for self-defense and apparent danger,” he said.
It is a case of murder and not self-defense, according to the indictment.
Osborne is facing murder charges and prosecutors are expected to begin fleshing out their case to support that during closing arguments on Tuesday morning in Judge Jefferson Moore’s 186th District Court.