Expert witness: Ex-Balch Springs cop used excessive force in teen's death

An expert witness for prosecutors testified that former Balch Springs Officer Roy Oliver used excessive force when he shot and killed 15-year-old Jordan Edwards.

In day four of Oliver’s murder trial, more officers also took the stand to testify about what happened on April 29, 2017.

The shooting and its aftermath was told in court Tuesday through five police body camera systems.

One body cam video is from Officer Jeffrey Baldwin. He was working a part-time job that night when he heard gunshots and went to help. Baldwin was at the scene where the boys were felony stopped by police. He asks if the boys had weapons and eventually loosens their cuffs.

Officer Jeremy Chamblee took Oliver’s rifle from him after the shooting and quarantined the weapon.

Officer Pedro Gonzales was also working a part time job that night and showed up to help, too. He described the language Oliver used talking about the officer who took his rifle.

“Chamblee’s acting like a d***,” Gonzales said.

Gonzales suggested Oliver, knowing someone was dead in the vehicle he fired in, checked for a pulse on the Jordan, who was slumped in the front seat passenger seat.

Former police officer and FBI Supervisory Agent Dr. Philip Hayden testified as the state’s use of force expert. He told the jury it’s his opinion that Oliver used excessive force.

“There’s no way at that point in time when the window was broken that he could say, ‘I looked over and saw that he was in danger,’” Hayden testified. “There was no threat to Officer Gross at any time. He says so.”

Hayden testified the shooting into a moving car could have been far worse.

“It could have not only shot Jordan Edwards, but he could have shot Maximus Edwards, Von Edwards, Maxwell Edwards and the driver of the car, Vidal Allen?” asked prosecutor Mike Snipes.

“I think it’s only by the grace of God that he didn’t get hit” Hayden said.

Defense lawyer Jim Lane challenged Hayden’s ability to reach conclusions in the case.

“Would you agree with me that this is a Texas case, and it’s really involving the Texas penal code?” Lane asked Hayden.

“It’s a Texas case involving penal code, but it’s a murder case,” he replied. “You got to really look to the higher courts to what they would say about that.”

Testimony resumes Wednesday at 9 a.m.