Murder trial of man indicted in Fort Worth officer’s death delayed because lawyer is ill
The trial of a man indicted on capital murder in the Fort Worth shooting death of a police officer has been delayed at its midpoint because of a medical matter affecting an attorney in the case.
The trial of Timothy Huff had been scheduled to resume on Tuesday in Tarrant County’s 396th District Court after a weeklong break for other reasons. It will now resume on Monday, and the jury may begin to deliberate then. The state is nearing the end of its case.
A court administrative staffer confirmed the development. The nature of the illness was not known. It was not clear which of the four attorneys who are trying the case is ill, although prosecutors Timothy Rodgers and Lloyd Whelchel were seen in the courthouse on Tuesday.
Huff’s attorneys, William Harris and Patrick Curran, could not be reached on Tuesday.
Officer Garrett Hull was shot to death in September 2018 while he and colleagues were surveilling three men suspected in a string of Fort Worth robberies targeting Hispanic people at businesses and at house.
On Sept. 13, 2018, Huff, Dacion Steptoe and Samuel Mayfield robbed Los Vaqueros bar at gunpoint, prosecutors allege. As the suspects ran from the bar, Steptoe shot Hull. Another Fort Worth police officer shot Steptoe dead.
Prosecutors have said that while Huff did not pull the trigger of the gun that killed Hull, he is guilty of capital murder of a peace officer because he should have anticipated the possibility that someone would be killed during the robberies.
The trial was also delayed in late May when Huff swallowed razor blades.
Mayfield was also indicted on capital murder of a peace officer. A trial date has not been set.
