Hector Garcia-Solis, the accused gunman in the 2019 murder of Hall County Sheriff's Deputy Blane Dixon, took to the stand today on day seven of the ongoing trial.
Garcia-Solis' testimony kicked off the defense's case, which began after the state wrapped up its side of the case in the trial of the three men accused in the murder.
Garcia-Solis told his defense attorney Matthew Cavedon that he was the one who fired the shot that hit Dixon on July 7, 2019.
"It was me," Garcia-Solis said, crying. "... Like I said, you got to confess to your sins."
Garcia-Solis' testimony did not last long, however.
Several minutes in, there was some controversy between the prosecution and the defense regarding crimes that Garcia-Solis had previously committed. The key issue came down to how testimony about those crimes could affect the other two defendants in the case.
The jury was asked to leave the room for a discussion between the state and defense that lasted about an hour. At one point, Defense Attorney Jason Wilson asked for a mistrial, which Judge Jason Deal denied.
Eventually, the trial got back underway, with more testimony, and cross-examination by Chief Assistant District Attorney Wanda Vance. Garcia-Solis said he was only able to remember certain portions of the evening Dixon was killed. However, he did say that he takes full responsibility.
"I take responsibility for it," he said. "And I don't see why it's being put on the other three co-defendants. If they ain't pull the trigger, they ain't have nothing to do to influence me."
Earlier in the day, the state presented its final pieces of evidence. The state's final witness was Gainesville Police Officer Chase Trammell.
The officer told the court he had known Blane Dixon during the course of his law enforcement work. In fact, he talked with Dixon the night of July 7, 2019, just a few minutes before Dixon became involved in a chase with the suspects who are now on trial. They even discussed the crime spree Dixon and other deputies were investigating.
Trammell said not too long after that discussion, he heard radio traffic about the chase.
Trammell said since the pursuit was in the city, he headed to the vicinity where he believed the cars were headed, thinking he might be able to help. In the midst of the radio traffic, he heard someone say the words "shots fired." He also heard the word "Highland" and that's when he headed toward Highland Avenue.
"I step on the gas and turn onto Highland," Trammell said. As I'm turning down Highland, I can see Deputy Kohler and Deputy Dixon laying in the yard in front of 43 Highland."
Trammell told ADA Kelly Robertson that when officers realized they didn't have a clear view of Dixon's injury, they made the decision to "load and go," meaning they put Dixon in the patrol car rather than waiting on a med unit to take the deputy to the hospital.
At the end of the day, Hall County Superior Court Judge Jason Deal made a decision regarding another individual in the case, suspect London Clements. Judge Deal granted a motion for directed verdict for Clements on counts of malice murder, aggravated assault on a peace officer and felony murder based on aggravated assault on a peace officer. “It gives me no pleasure to do this, but I’m trying to do what’s right, and I believe the state simply does not have enough evidence against Mr. Clements to survive a motion for directed verdict,” says Deal.
Deal went on to say that he didn’t think sufficient evidence had been given to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that Clements was guilty of the charges against him.
A directed verdict is when a judge takes a case from the hands of the jury, typically when enough evidence has not been offered.
Closing arguments are scheduled for Wednesday morning in Hall County Superior Court.
