SAN ANTONIO – San Antonio Police Chief William McManus reacted Wednesday to an allegation of mishandled proof made by the Bexar County District Attorney’s Office.
On Tuesday, Kevin Perez was once sentenced to 25 years in jail in line with a plea deal for the December 2020 murder of Arnulfo Cortez.
Cortez was once using house after leaving an Academy retailer off Loop 410 at the Northwest Side when he was once shot and killed by Perez.
The Cortez family instructed 12 that the DA’s office knowledgeable them that the case couldn’t move to trial as a result of mishandled proof by SAPD.
McManus disagreed with the allegation and stated the detective and a patrol officer did their process.
“I reviewed this case thoroughly with my staff and the investigative work that our detective did on this,” McManus stated. “I stand behind the work that the patrol officer did who responded to the scene. I don’t see any issue, evidentiary or otherwise, with the way we handled this case.”
The Cortez family clarified in a textual content message to on Wednesday that they have been particularly instructed there was once an unlawful seek at the weapon Perez was once wearing.
“I don’t know what was said or what wasn’t said, but I do know that from an evidentiary standpoint, there was nothing wrong with our handling of that weapon,” McManus stated.
12 rotated again with the DA’s office and requested for a explicit resolution as to why the Cortez Family was once instructed that SAPD mishandled the case.
“It is difficult to comment on what the family was told,” Pete Gallegos, the DA’s Office Director of Communications, stated.
Furthermore, District Attorney Joe Gonzales launched the next observation Wednesday:
“The Bexar County District Attorney’s Office allows its prosecutors wide latitude to determine trial strategy for each individual case. Decisions on how to proceed are made on a case-by-case basis depending on facts, circumstances, and available evidence. Speaking specifically about The State of Texas vs Kevin Pérez, our office has no criticism of either the investigation or evidence obtained by the San Antonio Police Department. The relationship between our office and the SAPD on this case was collaborative, cooperative, and successful. Their work provided the basis for a substantial conviction and helped get a violent offender off of the street.”
McManus showed that he and Gonzales spoke Tuesday evening and Wednesday concerning the case.
“I don’t want to get into a back and forth between me and the D.A. We’re trying to get past that, and I think we have. But I also don’t want this to be about who’s right and who’s wrong, because we’ve got the Cortez family who is grieving over this and feel that they they didn’t receive justice with that 25-year plea deal,” McManus stated.
The chief is of the same opinion the 25-year sentence wasn’t sufficient punishment for the crime.
“I sympathize with the family. I know the detective has been in communication with them throughout this, and 25 years for a murder, it doesn’t seem quite, quite what the sentence should have been,” he stated.
The Cortez family, who don’t reside in Bexar County, despatched the next observation in response to the most recent feedback from each SAPD and the DA’s Office:
“Failed at every level. We were manipulated to think the plea deal was our best option. We are grieving, vulnerable, we don’t know the system, we weren’t supposed to be going through this. We trusted state appointed professionals to guide us. We hope someone is held accountable.”
Related:
‘Justice wasn’t served’: Family of murder sufferer disenchanted after guy will get 25-year plea deal
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