SAN ANTONIO \u2013 Only one witness took the stand during the nearly four-and-a-half full hours of testimony on Tuesday afternoon and evening. <\/p>\n
San Antonio police officer Jesus Rojas, who first took the stand on Monday<\/a>, was cross-examined by Bexar County prosecutor David Lunan as well as defense attorneys Nico LaHood and Ben Sifuentes on Tuesday<\/a>. <\/p>\n KSAT will livestream Day 4 in the ex-officers\u2019 trial at approximately 1 p.m. on Wednesday in this article and on KSAT Plus. Delays are possible; if there is not a livestream available, please check back at a later time.<\/p>\n Rojas and fellow responding officer Robert Ramos were at Melissa Perez\u2019s Southwest Side apartment more than an hour before she was shot and killed by SAPD. <\/p>\n The court watched body-worn camera footage from Ramos, who was heard asking Perez if she was \u201ca gang member\u201d because she looked \u201clike a gang member.\u201d <\/p>\n LaHood and Sifuentes questioned Rojas as to why, among other things, Perez was not detained despite he and Ramos chasing after her. <\/p>\n LaHood then accused Rojas and Ramos of violating SAPD policy when they chased after Perez because, according to LaHood, their manual \u201cdoes not say that cops can just chase after free people.\u201d <\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019d have to read the policy,\u201d Rojas told the court. <\/p>\n LaHood represents former SAPD officer Nathaniel Villalobos, who is facing an aggravated assault by a public servant charge. If convicted, Villalobos could be sentenced to life in prison. <\/p>\n Sifuentes is a co-defense attorney for ex-SAPD officer Eleazar Alejandro, whose murder charge could also carry a maximum life sentence upon conviction. Alfred Flores, a former SAPD sergeant, is also facing a murder charge and, if convicted, a potential life sentence. <\/p>\n Alejandro, Flores and Villalobos were each charged in connection with Perez\u2019s June 2023 death during a mental health call at the apartment. <\/p>\n The department has since terminated all three officers from the force. <\/p>\n Background<\/p>\n On June 23, 2023, Perez, 46, experienced a mental health crisis<\/a> inside her Southwest Side apartment, where SAPD body camera footage showed she was fatally shot by ex-SAPD officers Eleazar Alejandro, Alfred Flores and Nathaniel Villalobos.<\/p>\n The case drew widespread attention and sparked debate over police response protocols.<\/p>\n Alejandro, Flores and Villalobos each face charges in connection with Perez\u2019s death.<\/p>\n All three charged will be tried together, which will make for a packed courtroom. <\/p>\n Former prosecutor-turned-defense attorney Meredith Chacon said the plan to try all three together means each defense team has agreed on some kind of joint strategy. <\/p>\n \u201cIt indicates a sharing of resources, and they\u2019re all working together on this defense,\u201d Chacon said.<\/p>\n Each defendant has their own team of lawyers:<\/p>\n Alfred Flores is represented by Thom Nisbet, Christian Neumann and David Christian <\/p>\n Eleazar Alejandro is represented by Ben Sifuentes and Mario Del Prado, a former division chief in the Bexar County District Attorney\u2019s Office<\/p>\n Nathaniel Villalobos is represented by former Bexar County District Attorney Nico LaHood and his law partners Jay Norton, Jason Goss and Patrick Ballantyne<\/p>\n As for the state, prosecutors include Felony Criminal Trial Division Chief David Lunan and Daryl Harris.<\/p>\n The trial is being presided over by Judge Ron Rangel of the 379th Criminal District Court. <\/p>\n On Wednesday, ahead of jury selection, a pretrial hearing became heated<\/a> as attorneys sparred over key issues ahead of the trial. Defense attorneys argued with prosecutors over which evidence and legal arguments should be allowed during the proceedings. <\/p>\n Among the issues discussed was a federal judge\u2019s recent decision to dismiss a civil lawsuit against the officers<\/a> \u2014 a ruling the defense wants jurors to hear about. Prosecutors opposed that motion.<\/p>\n