Second murder trial for El Paso man begins with emotions running high

EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) -- The second murder trial of an El Paso man accused of shooting another man to death outside of an East El Paso bar in 2017, began Monday morning at 9 a.m. in the 168th District Court.

Moises Galvan, who was 19 at the time, was arrested at the scene, which was a shopping center on Montwood Drive where former establishment Barfly was located. Surveillance footage from a neighboring business caught the moment Galvan shot RJ Franco, 22. Galvan told police he shot Franco in self-defense during a fight. Galvan has remained in jail since his arrest.

ABC-7 was in the courtroom as the trial began Monday. After a break due to technical issues, visiting Judge Dick Alcala acknowledged this is a highly emotional case for both sides. He then sternly warned those present to not disrupt proceedings or to disturb the jury.

Alcala added, “I was told there was a recording of jurors before this began. I will not tolerate that.” The judge issued that statement while the jury was not in the courtroom.

Prosecutor John Briggs told ABC-7 that on Friday, the mother of the defendant was seen recording the jury as they were being led out of the courtroom after being selected.

The medical examiner, Dr. Janice Diaz, was on the stand this morning. During her testimony there were some photos of Franco posted on the screen. His father and a few others left the courtroom.

Under state questioning, Diaz said Franco had three gunshot wounds. Two punctured his right lung, causing massive blood loss.

Defense Attorney Greg Anderson's cross-examination pointed out that Franco had alcohol, cocaine and marijuana in his system, but the medical examiner couldn’t say when cocaine was ingested, or how he was affected. She also couldn’t speak to how close shooter was, or the positions of either man at time of the shooting. The re-examination by Prosecutor Michelle Hill pointed out that cocaine didn’t cause Franco's death.

ABC-7 will remain in the courtroom and bring your more updates on this case as they come.

This case, the first trial that ended in a mistrial, and the ensuing state investigation into the 168th District Court judge's handling of that trial was chronicled in the ABC-7 Borderland Crimes podcast.