DA Hicks responds to new motion in the Walmart shooting case
EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) -- El Paso District Attorney Bill Hicks is responding to allegations that the prosecution is withholding evidence in the Walmart shooting case. That's according to an updated motion by the federally convicted Cielo Vista Walmart shooter's defense team.
According to the documents ABC-7 obtained today, the defense says prosecutors did not turn over interviews they conducted in 2023 with two neighbors who knew Patrick Crusius when he was young.
According to the defense, the neighbors told prosecutors that Crusius was "not right" from birth, that he had special needs and likely has autism, evidence they believe would benefit the defense.
The defense says this is a violation of court orders, as well as Crusius' constitutional rights.
DA Hicks denied any wrongdoing by his office.
"We're not concerned about any legal violations," Hicks told ABC-7's Stephanie Valle in a one-on-one interview today. "Although he, in his motions, makes it sound very sinister, and very accusatory in his motions, we are very comfortable that we have not violated the law."
The next hearing in the case is on October 31. By that time, early voting in the November election will be well underway. Hicks is running for as the Republican candidate for district attorney against the Democratic challenger James Montoya.
ABC-7 asked Montoya if he would comment on the defense motion's allegations. He didn't want to say more than this:Â "the specific facts and circumstances of the case should be litigated in court filings."
