El Paso, Texas – The district court judge presiding over the El Paso Walmart mass shooter’s death penalty case has yet to set a trial date, citing ongoing disputes between state prosecutors and defense attorneys over the handling of evidence more than four years after the attack.
During a recent scheduling hearing, 409th District Court Judge Sam Medrano expressed frustration at the lack of progress, stating, “I was hopeful that today we could be closer to having this case resolved. I am no closer to scheduling or establishing a schedule than I was in September.”
The defense team argued that state prosecutors are mishandling the evidence and accused El Paso District Attorney Bill Hicks of playing politics as he seeks re-election in the November general election. On the other hand, Hicks maintained that the defense has already been provided with substantial evidence and accused them of attempting to delay the case.
The hearing revealed that the defense has received a massive amount of evidence, with Defense attorney Joe Spencer stating that his team has been given seven terabytes or nearly 2.4 million files of evidence in the past few weeks. However, Spencer argued that the sheer volume of evidence would require approximately 36 months to review.
In response, Hicks claimed that the defense attorneys already have access to the evidence presented during the federal case against the gunman and stated that they are ready to move forward, accusing the defense of trying to delay the case. Medrano ordered both sides to devise timelines for reviewing the evidence and set a status hearing for February 22.
The status hearing comes more than four and a half years after the gunman carried out the mass shooting at an El Paso Walmart, resulting in the death of 23 shoppers and numerous injuries. The gunman has already been sentenced to life in prison in the federal case and ordered to pay restitution, but the state court case still remains pending.
The ongoing dispute over evidence handling highlights the complexity and sensitivity of the case, with both sides digging in their heels as they prepare for what is likely to be a lengthy and emotionally charged trial. As the community continues to seek justice and closure, the upcoming status hearing will be closely watched for any signs of progress in the case.