The trial for one of the three suspects involved in the shooting death of a Fort Worth police officer in 2018 resumed on Thursday.
Timothy Huff was charged with two counts of attempted capital murder. However, police reports say that he did not shoot officer Garrett Hull. Huff was also charged with seven counts of robbery.
The trial for Huff was due to begin last week, but it was postponed until June 6, after the defendant was hospitalized for swallowing a razor blade while held in the Tarrant County jail.
Sabrina, Hull’s wife, testified on Monday, the opening day of Huff’s trial.
She recounted the events prior to her husband’s death. Because their oldest daughter was out of town for school, she stated they celebrated her birthday through FaceTime on September 13, 2018.
Sabrina said she went to bed that night knowing her husband would be out late due to work, so she texted him at approximately 10 p.m.
While on the stand, she said she “wished him luck, and that was it.” When the prosecutor inquired about Officer Hull’s response, his wife said he did not reply to her message.
The Hulls’ neighbor, also a Fort Worth police officer, knocked on her door later that night, informing Sabrina that she needed to head to the hospital.
Hull was pronounced brain dead and died on September 14, 2018, according to Sabrina.
Officer Hull and his colleagues were surveilling Huff, Dacion Steptoe, and Samuel Mayfield four years ago in connection with at least 17 robberies in and around Fort Worth.
Hull and his team, including both undercover and uniformed officers, followed the suspects as they arrived at Los Vaqueros Sports Bar in September 2018.
When the officers attempted to apprehend the suspects, they fled. Officer Hull was pursuing Steptoe, who allegedly shot Hull in the head, according to police. Steptoe was fatally shot by two other officers who returned fire.
Officers took Huff and Mayfield into custody. They reportedly did not fire the gun, but the state has charged them with capital murder for their involvement in the incident that resulted in Officer Hull’s death.
However, one of Huff’s defense attorneys, William Harris, believes that the prosecutor’s case is not a sure thing. He stated that his client is not necessarily linked to all the robberies in which he is a suspect. Harris also added that his client surrendered to the police.
“Mr. Huff runs furthest to the backyard of a house, and police instruct him to surrender; he does that, voluntarily,” said Harris during the trial. “Yes, he puts down the gun, mask, everything, comes out and surrenders and gets down on the ground, like they tell him to.”