SAN ANTONIO – More than five years after her son Terrence Scott was fatally shot, Phyllis Little says justice has yet to be served.
The man accused of killing her son, Tremaurya Powell, had the murder charge dismissed last year and was recently rearrested on unrelated felony family violence charges.
Scott, a former football player at Taft High School, was shot in the head on Nov. 17, 2018, during an altercation at Chaser’s Sports Bar on the North Side of San Antonio, police said.
According to a police report, Scott punched Powell after being pushed, and Powell allegedly responded by shooting him.
Powell was arrested 30 days after the shooting due to outstanding warrants. However, Little says the case against him stalled for years, in part due to delays caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
“The whole time I’m in communication with the courts, and I’m so scared because delayed justice is injustice,” Little said.
In 2023, prosecutors informed Little that the trial was imminent. However, they later told her they could not move forward, citing significant gaps in the case.
“The trial was supposed to be that Monday, and they tell me they cannot go forward,” Little said. “What they told me was that the holes in the case were big enough to drive a bus through and because for four years they never opened the case files.”
Powell’s murder charge was dismissed, and he was released from jail. He was later convicted on a drug charge.
Little believes systemic failures in the legal process contributed to the dismissal of the murder charge, as she says resources were not properly allocated.
“San Antonio does not put resources or money into Black murders,” Little said.
On Oct. 17, Powell was rearrested and charged with assault family impede breath/circulation and continuous violence against family, both third-degree felonies, officials said. He posted bond the next day and is currently awaiting indictment.
“I didn’t have any more energy to fight,” Little said. “But when I got the call that he had been arrested again, I said, ‘I have to get up. I have to fight at this point.’”
KSAT requested comment from the Bexar County District Attorney’s office, and they released the following statement:
“We want to acknowledge the loss of Terrence Scott and extend our deepest sympathies to his family. This case was dismissed for further investigation and is currently with law enforcement to continue their investigation. Since there is no statute of limitations for the offense of murder, the case could potentially be refiled. Given the ongoing nature of the investigation, we cannot provide additional details at this time. We remain committed to seeking justice for all victims and will continue working with law enforcement if the investigation moves forward.”