Roger McCracken’s attorneys argued that he shot Ronnie Riddle in self-defense
SAN ANTONIO – A jury on Thursday found a man not guilty in the 2021 fatal shooting of another man.
Roger McCracken’s attorneys argued that their client shot Ronnie Riddle, 34, on Sept. 11, 2021, in self-defense.
‘I feel threatened’: Tensions boil over between state, defense lawyers during murder trial
Roger McCracken charged in 2021 fatal shooting of Ronnie Riddle, 34
SAN ANTONIO – Tensions boiled over inside a Bexar County courtroom among attorneys during a murder trial.
Roger McCracken, a military veteran, is on trial for the Sept. 11, 2021, fatal shooting of Ronnie Riddle.
The shooting happened outside an apartment complex on the Southeast Side.
Throughout the week, as testimony got underway, there have been heated back-and-forth discussions between the state and the defense.
As the jury was recessed for lunch in court on Friday, prosecutor Neil Cordero and defense attorney Joseph Hoelscher began talking.
Cordero told 437th District Court Judge Joel Perez that Hoelscher cursed at him.
Furthermore, Cordero was told that another defense attorney on the defense team, Daniel Mehler, made threatening remarks.
“Mr. Mehler was speaking to first chair district attorney Clayton Haden and told him that if I do it again, he’s going to beat my ass,” Cordero said. “I feel threatened by this defense lawyer, and I’m going to ask this defense lawyer be excused from this trial.”
Those comments made by Mehler were also apparently heard by other people sitting in the gallery.
Neither Hoelscher nor Mehler denied their remarks but said they weren’t threatening Cordero and were just caught up in the moment.