JOURDANTON, Texas – Lawyers for accused cop killer Shawn Puente, 34, spent much of Monday morning questioning the San Antonio Police Department officer who was Officer Robert Deckard’s supervisor on the night he was killed during a high-speed chase.
“Given the totality of circumstances, the pursuit was justified under department guidelines,” Capt. Randall Smith testified.
Smith, who was a lieutenant at the time, discounted reports that Deckard had lost radio contact after the chase went from San Antonio into Atascosa County on the night of Dec. 7, 2013.
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Smith described communications as “marginal” but not lost.
Given that plus weather conditions and the fact that there was no air or medical support, Puente’s lawyers asked why the pursuit was not called off.
Smith said that those factors were considered but said he determined that “there was a high degree of probability that we’d have an apprehension.”
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As the chase moved from San Antonio into Atascosa County, Puente began firing through the rear window of his car driven by Jenevieve Ramos, 28.
Both Puente and Ramos were suspects in an armed robbery in San Antonio earlier that night.
A single shot allegedly fired by Puente penetrated the windshield of Deckard’s patrol car and struck him in the head. He died 13 days later.
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Both Puente and Ramos face capital murder charges and execution if they are convicted.
Ramos remains jailed awaiting trial.