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Medical expert’s testimony delayed in trial of accused H-E-B shooter

Medical expert’s testimony delayed in trial of accused H-E-B shooter
2 years 6 months 2 weeks ago Wednesday, March 23 2022 Mar 23, 2022 March 23, 2022 10:39 PM March 23, 2022 in News - Local

A psychiatrist who treated the man accused of shooting up the H-E-B where he worked at – killing one person and injuring three others in 2016 – testified for the prosecution Wednesday.

"Upon my expertise, I was able to attest that he was facing major anxiety symptoms and on that day I was able to diagnose him with a panic disorder condition,” Dr. Johanna Torres Santiago said of the suspect – Raul Lopez.

Notes taken by the psychiatrist about her meetings with Lopez prompted the defense team to ask the judge that Dr. Torres' testimony not be allowed.

The defense was never provided a copy of the notes, defense attorney Oscar Rene Flores said.

RELATED: Psychiatrist testifies in trial of accused H-E-B shooter

"The sixth amendment of the constitution says this man deserves every bit of a fair trial as they do,” Flores said. “And when they come into this courtroom with records that they say they don't have to go and get, well what am I supposed to do? How am I going to now cross-examine this witness effectively?"

The state also said this was the first time they were seeing the notes. 

Judge Fernando Mancias granted the defense until Thursday morning to review the notes, and asked Dr. Torres to come back then, as well.

Carlos Garcia, a former department manager at the store at the time of the shooting, was also called to testify.

Garcia told the jury Lopez suffered many issues as an employee, including attendance and punctuality, damaging products and refusing to perform certain job duties.

Garcia said Lopez was one absence away from being terminated.

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