Bexar County moves to settle civil rights suit filed by family of man shot during disturbance call

The family of a man shot and killed by a Bexar County Sheriff's deputy more than two years ago has settled its federal civil rights case with the county for an undisclosed amount, Texas Public Radio reports.

On Tuesday, Bexar County Commissioners Court approved a $200,000 payout to cover the county’s liability insurance deductible, clearing attorneys to settle with the family of Jesus Benito Garcia, according to TPR. Lawyers for the dead man's family declined to talk about details of the settlement.

Garcia was shot to death on March 9, 2020 after a domestic disturbance call to his trailer. Deputy Brandin Moran fired seven shots within 10 seconds of arriving on scene, and five of them struck Garcia, according to court documents cited by TPR.
At the time of the call, Garcia was reportedly in a state of mental crisis, although his family and the county have painted conflicting pictures of whether he presented a risk to anyone but himself.

Texas Rio Grande Legal Aid, which represents the Garcia family, says the man held a screwdriver to his own neck in a "gesture of self-harm." Further, the attorneys argue, an Elmendorf police sergeant was working to peacefully de-escalate the situation before Moran pulled the trigger.

However, Bexar County officials maintain Moran posed a threat to his wife, claiming that he was "looming over her" with the makeshift weapon, according to a court document cited by TPR.

Although a grand jury found indicted Moran in March on manslaughter charges, District Attorney Joe Gonzales declined pursue the case, saying he didn't think the charges would hold up in court, the Express-News reports.

After Gonzales dropped the case, a Rio Grande Legal Aid attorney told the daily the decision was “perplexing and disappointing.”

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