A judge on Wednesday indicated that a 26-year-old Edinburg man facing the death penalty over the 2019 death of a state trooper will not move forward until the pandemic is over and the related restrictions are lifted.
This is because at least 800 people will be required for jury duty in the case, making it difficult for the court to comply with federal COVID-19 guidelines.
Victor Godinez is accused of shooting Moises Sanchez, a state trooper for the Texas Department of Public Safety, on April 6, 2019, following a car crash at the corner of North 10th Street and Freddy Gonzalez Drive in McAllen. Sanchez died on Aug. 24, 2019, following a surgery in Houston.
Godinez appeared in front of state District Judge Letty Lopez on Wednesday afternoon via video-conferencing, where he acknowledged that he understood the pandemic’s impact on his case.
Lopez said during a pre-trial hearing in October 2020 that officials will have to summon at least 800 people for jury selection in Godinez’s case.
Godinez has pleaded not guilty to charges of capital murder of a peace officer and two counts of attempted capital murder of a peace officer over allegations he shot at two Edinburg police officers, who were not injured, during the search for the suspect on April 6, 2019.
He remains jailed on a total of $3 million in bonds on the charges.
