AUSTIN (Talk1370.com) -- Former Austin Police officer Christopher Taylor has filed a lawsuit against Chief Lisa Davis, demanding his reinstatement after his felony conviction was overturned late last year.
According to court filings, Davis has refused to return Taylor to his former position with the same rank, seniority, pay, and benefits. Taylor’s attorneys argue that proper termination procedures were not followed and that he has a right to appeal the decision.
Taylor was fired by Davis in 2024 after he was convicted and sentenced for deadly conduct in the 2019 shooting death of Mauris DeSilva. That firing came as a result of Taylor's peace officer license being revoked by the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement (TCOLE), something that happened automatically once his felony conviction was recorded.
The conviction was the first time a police officer had been found criminally liable in a fatal on-duty use of force incident in Travis County.
Last year, the state's Seventh Court of Appeals overturned Taylor's conviction and deemed him officially acquitted, ruling that the Travis County jury in the original trial lacked sufficient evidence to decide the case. Shortly after that decision, TCOLE reinstated Taylor's license.
The City of Austin says it intends to defend the lawsuit in court.
Christopher Taylor's conviction was overturned late last year
Christopher Taylor's conviction was overturned late last year
