Murder trial delayed in Fort Worth officer’s death after suspect swallows razor blade
The capital murder trial for one of two men accused of being involved in the fatal shooting of a Fort Worth police officer was delayed Tuesday after the defendant swallowed a razor blade in jail, lawyers said at Tuesday’s court proceedings.
Timothy Huff, 36, will likely be hospitalized for two to three days due to his self-inflicted injuries, prosecuting attorney Lloyd Whelchel told Judge George Gallagher on Tuesday morning. Huff likely removed a razor blade from a safety razor given to him at the Tarrant County Jail, Whelchel said during the proceedings in Tarrant County’s 396th District Court.
The trial, which had been scheduled to begin Tuesday with opening statements, has been pushed back by a week and rescheduled to begin June 6 at 8:30 a.m.
Huff was one of three men accused of participating in an aggravated robbery at a bar in September 2018 that led to the fatal shooting of Garrett Hull, a 17-year police veteran.
Authorities have said Huff was joined in the robbery by Dacion Steptoe and Samuel Mayfield, who were both 23 years old at the time of the shooting.
Steptoe, who is believed to have shot and killed Hull, died after police returned gunfire while trying to apprehend the three men. Neither Mayfield nor Huff are believed to have fired a weapon during the confrontation, police said back in 2018.
Huff and Mayfield are both charged with capital murder for their alleged involvement in the robbery that led to Hull’s death, and prosecutors are seeking the death penalty.
Mayfield will be tried separately. His trial date has not been set.
This story was originally published May 31, 2022 at 10:34 AM with the headline "Murder trial delayed in Fort Worth officer’s death after suspect swallows razor blade."
