Man Shot to Death by Corpus Christi, Texas Police Officer

The Corpus Christi Police Department, in Texas, filed a custodial death report regarding the death of Emilio Mojica.  Mr. Mojica was only 22 years of age at the time of his death.  Information in this post was obtained from that report, and we make no allegation of any wrongdoing against anyone regarding Mr. Mojica’s death. 

Officers were called to a house on Brentwood Drive in Corpus Christi on October 13, 2019.  The call was related to an alleged disturbance by Mr. Mojica.  Mr. Mojica possessed a bat and allegedly threatened to assault officers.  Officers tried what are described as “less than lethal options” but were unsuccessful in subduing Mr. Mojica.  The report then indicates that Mr. Mojica “appeared” to start to advance toward officers.  As a result, one officer shot and killed Mr. Mojica.

Without regard to Mr. Mojica’s situation, the 4^th Amendment to the United States Constitution guarantees the right of citizens not to be subjected to unreasonable use of force.  When a court determines whether the force used was unreasonable, it looks at all the facts and circumstances surrounding the use of force.  If a police officer uses unreasonable force, he or she can be liable to the injured person or, in the event of that person’s death, the deceased person’s family members, for violating the Constitution.     

Written By: Dean Malone

Dean Malone

Dean Malone is the founder of Law Offices of Dean Malone, P.C., a jail neglect civil rights law firm. Mr. Malone earned his bachelor's degree at the University of Texas at Dallas, graduating summa cum laude with a 4.0 GPA, and from Baylor University School of Law with a general civil litigation concentration. Mr. Malone served in several staff positions for the Baylor Law Review, including executive editor. Mr. Malone is an experienced trial lawyer, trying a number of cases to jury verdict and also handling arbitrations through final hearing. He heads the jail neglect section of his law firm, in which lawyers litigate cases involving serious injury and death resulting from jail neglect and abuse. Lawyers frequently refer cases to Mr. Malone due to his focus on this very complicated civil rights practice area.