Criminal Trial For Former Dallas Police Officer Accused Of Killing Mother Of 2 Begins
DALLAS (CBSDFW.COM) - The trial for a former Dallas police officer charged in a deadly shooting of a pregnant, mother of two is underway.
Christopher Hess faces a charge of aggravated assault by a public servant despite the death of 21-year-old Genevive Dawes in 2017.
Hess is accused of shooting Dawes in the 4700 block of East Side Avenue, near an apartment complex.
Authorities at the time said officers approached a stolen vehicle on foot while "giving loud verbal commands." But the people inside of the car ignored those words. Dawes, who was driving then backed up the car into a patrol car before driving forward and striking a fence.
A passenger, identified as 23-year-old Virgilio Rosales, was not seriously injured. He was, however, arrested for the unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon.
Dallas Police Officer Erin Evans is testifying in case. She was one of the officers on scene. Evans found a gun inside the van after the shooting, but testified the gun's presence was not the reason for the officer's decision to shoot.
"To my knowledge, I don't know if that gun was seen, because I did not see it. So, I don't know what was was seen when shots were fired, by the people who fired them. But if there's no threat, and you don't see that as a threat, that would not be a justification."
Almost immediately following the shooting there were cries from the community of an unjustified use of deadly force. Hess, a 10-year veteran of the Dallas Police Department, was removed from the department and indicted.
Authorities said Hess, a 10-year veteran of the Dallas Police Department, was removed from the department and indicted.
The other officer involved in this shooting was Sr. Cpl. Jason Kimpel, an 8-year veteran. He will not face any charges.
If convicted, Hess faces between 5 and 99 years in prison.