SAN ANTONIO – Editor’s note: KSAT is livestreaming the entire trial of Otis McKane here. Get a daily recap like this one sent to your inbox by signing up for the free Open Court newsletter.
A man convicted of killing a San Antonio police detective documented the aftermath of the fatal shooting on his cellphone, according to evidence the prosecution presented Wednesday.
San Antonio Police Det. Justin Knox testified in the punishment phase of the capital murder trial of Otis McKane, who was found guilty Monday in the execution-style death of Det. Benjamin Marconi.
During a hearing held without the jury present in the courtroom, Knox and the prosecution reviewed images, web searches, video and text messages that the detective said was downloaded from McKane’s cellphone. The images included pictures of the crime scene in front of Public Safety Headquarters, online articles from KSAT.com about the slaying and instructions on how to disassemble a Glock pistol. Tweets from then-San Antonio Mayor Ivy Taylor and a city councilman reacting to the shooting were also found on the cellphone.
Defense attorneys objected to the contents of the cellphone being presented as evidence, saying this was the first time they had seen them.
The prosecution argued that they gave the defense the raw data but they argued they could never open it. In the end, Judge Ron Rangel issued a recess of the trial until Monday to give the defense time to review the cellphone contents. At that time, Rangel will rule whether the jury will be allowed to view the video, images and text messages.
When the jury was allowed to return to the courtroom, they heard from a Texas Department of Criminal Justice director, who testified about the differences prison life would be for an offender sentenced to death row or to life in prison.
The prosecution is seeking the death penalty for McKane.
The trial will resume at 9 a.m. on Monday.
READ MORE: