Protection attorneys within the trial of a police officer accused of endangering youngsters within the Could 2022 mass taking pictures in Uvalde, Texas, say a key witness’ testimony concerning the taking pictures modified — and prosecutors by no means informed them.
Nineteen college students and two academics had been killed within the rampage at Robb Elementary Faculty. Former Uvalde college police officer Adrian Gonzales is being tried on 29 counts of kid endangerment. He may spend the remainder of his life in jail, if convicted on all counts. He has pleaded not responsible.
Late Tuesday, after a witness acknowledged that her recounting of the taking pictures modified over time, protection attorneys accused prosecutors of ambushing them by failing to reveal a major change within the testimony of a key witness.
Former Uvalde college district police officer Adrian Gonzales arrives within the courtroom on the Nueces County Courthouse in Corpus Christi, Texas, Tuesday, Jan. 6, 2026.
Eric Homosexual/AP
In testimony earlier Tuesday on the primary day of Gonzales’ trial, former Uvalde elementary college trainer Stephanie Hale initially informed jurors that she noticed the shooter on the south aspect of the Robb Elementary Faculty on the day of the taking pictures and remembered she and her college students being shot at.
In emotional testimony, Hale — previously a third-grade trainer on the school– stated her college students ran from the playground to the college constructing to search out shelter.
“As we had been all operating into the classroom, I noticed the — I do not know in case you name him — horrible individual strolling,” she testified, saying she recognized the gunshots primarily based on mud kicked up.
Nevertheless, prosecutors quickly acknowledged that, in an interview with state investigators 4 days after the taking pictures, Hale did not point out seeing the shooter or being shot at.
A memorial devoted to the 19 youngsters and two adults murdered on Could 24,2022 throughout a mass taking pictures at Robb Elementary Faculty is seen on January 05, 2026 in Uvalde, Texas. The primary trial over regulation enforcement’s delayed response to the Uvalde college taking pictures started at the moment with former Uvalde colleges officer Adrian Gonzales standing trial in Corpus Christi. Gonzales faces 29 counts of kid endangerment. The trial is a uncommon case through which a regulation enforcement officer might be convicted for allegedly failing to appropriately reply to prison exercise.
Brandon Bell/Getty Photos
“You’d agree with me in listening to the totality of your interview 4 days after that, you by no means inform the (investigator) that you just noticed anyone that was wearing black with lengthy hair and a hearth and a gun?” a protection lawyer requested.
“Right,” she stated.
“You agree that you just by no means informed him that you just noticed grime flying up on the playground … You felt such as you had been being shot at, which was your opinion?” Hale was requested.
“Right,” she stated.
In keeping with protection legal professional Jason Goss, prosecutors didn’t present the required discover that Hale’s account had modified from when she spoke to investigators years later.
Legal professional Nico LaHood makes opening arguments throughout a trial for former Uvalde college district police officer Adrian Gonzales on the Nueces County Courthouse in Corpus Christi, Texas, Tuesday, Jan. 6, 2026.
Eric Homosexual/AP
“If she did report this stuff to the prosecution, we had been entitled to that to organize for this. And this can be a trial by ambush,” Goss stated.
In a hardly ever seen transfer, Decide Sid Harle allowed Goss to cross-examine Uvalde County District Legal professional Christina Mitchell and certainly one of her investigators concerning the change in testimony.
“Neither the prosecutor nor anybody within the room thought to ask her, the place did you see the shooter? That wasn’t a query that got here up in anyone’s thoughts to ask her the place the shooter was?” Goss requested.
“You already know, you are getting very nitpicky. Let me inform you one thing. After we had been prepping these witnesses, I used to be operating a regulation workplace,” Mitchell responded. “I used to be out and in of interviews, so I am unable to say that … I, like, ‘Oh my God,’ it wasn’t that sort of response for me.”
Decide Sid Harle oversees the trial for former Uvalde college district police officer Adrian Gonzales on the Nueces County Courthouse in Corpus Christi, Texas, Tuesday, Jan. 6, 2026.
Eric Homosexual/AP
The choose acknowledged the potential seriousness of the problem and set a listening to for Wednesday afternoon. The jury is about to return on Thursday morning.
Chatting with reporters outdoors courtroom, protection legal professional Nico LaHood recommended that the problem may drive a mistrial.
“Clearly, we’re shocked. That is nothing we may have anticipated,” he stated. “We now have some choices to make.”
