Austin police officer Christopher Taylor, facing two murder trials, taken off unpaid leave

Austin American-Statesman
Ella McCarthy, Tony Plohetski - Austin American-Statesman
December 28, 2023

Christopher Taylor, the Austin police officer who is facing two murder trials in connection with separate on-duty shootings — including one case that recently ended in a mistrial — has been placed on paid administrative duty after being on unpaid leave since 2020, the Austin Police Department confirmed Thursday.

Taylor's new duty status "means he will be providing administrative support to our Bureau Detectives," the department said in an email to the American-Statesman. "This adjustment was made to maintain consistency with the status of other Austin Police Department officers currently under indictment."

Taylor had been on unpaid leave since the 2020 shooting death of Michael Ramos at a Southeast Austin apartment complex. The Police Department did not respond to the Statesman's questions about its policy for the duties of officers under indictment or whether Taylor will again be placed on unpaid leave when he stands trial next year.

After Taylor was indicted in Ramos' death, a Travis County grand jury handed down another murder indictment for Taylor in connection with the 2019 shooting death of Mauris DeSilva at a downtown condo building.

Taylor's trial in Ramos' killing ended in a mistrial in November after a Travis County jury was unable to unanimously reach a verdict, meaning Taylor will be tried again in that case.

Taylor is set to face another trial in September 2024. State District Judge Dayna Blazey will decide early next year which of the two cases will move forward first.

At a Dec. 13 hearing, Blazey asked the defense and the prosecution to prepare arguments on whether the Ramos case or the DeSilva case should be tried next, the Statesman previously reported. The parties have until March 8, 2024, to file their briefs.