San Antonio police officer testifies in the punishment phase of the fatal dog attack trial.
Police Officer Testifies
San Antonio, TX - On February 24, 2023, Ramon Najera, 81, was brutally killed by two pit bulls in front of his 75-year old wife, Janie Najera, in the 2800 block of Depla Street. One of the dogs tore a dialysis shunt out of Ramon's arm. "There was blood all over the place," one witness said. When San Antonio firefighters arrived, they fought off the pit bulls with pickaxes and pipe poles. Both dog owners pleaded guilty to one felony count in August. Last week, the punishment phase of the trial was held.
Judge Velia Meza will announce sentencing on September 20. Leading up to the sentencing, we are running several videos, including the testimony of Ramon's widow, Janie, who suffered critical injuries in the attack. The next video in this series is the testimony of SAPD Officer Jesse Mendez, a 7-year veteran. At the 2:41 mark, Mendez, who was wearing a body camera, recounts the events of that day. The pit bulls were already inside the owner's fenced yard when Mendez arrived at the scene.
"The first thing I remember seeing is blood everywhere," officer Mendez testified. "There was so much blood, you could taste it in your mouth." When asked by Bexar County prosecutor Raul Jordan to explain this, Mendez said, "It's like the taste of iron in the air from the amount of blood that was at the crime scene." Mendez next interacted with one of the dog owners at the scene, Abilene Schnieder. The prosecutor then entered the officer's bodycam video of this interaction into the court record.
The prosecutor plays this video. The first thing she asked Mendez was, "Am I in trouble?" Both Schnieder and her husband, Christian Moreno, face up to 20 years in jail when Judge Meza issues her sentence on Friday. Extenuating circumstances include the judge weighing the defense's argument that if the city of San Antonio had processed these dogs as "dangerous dogs" prior to the attack -- due to three previous bites -- this would have led to them being euthanized prior to the fatal attack.
SAPD Officer Jesse Mendez testified, "There was so much blood you could taste it."
San Antonio firefighters try to beat off the two violent pit bulls with pickaxes and pipe poles.
Related articles:
10/01/24: San Antonio Animal Control Testimony During Punishment Phase of Fatal Dog Attack Trial
09/20/24: Prosecution Closing Arguments In Fatal Dog Attack Trial; Judge Issues Sentences
09/18/24: Janie Najera, the Wife of Victim, Testifies In Punishment Phase of Fatal Dog Attack Trial
09/09/24: Federal Civil Lawsuit Filed Against City: Najera et al v. City of San Antonio et al
I believe the longest Texas sentence we have seen (under the Texas felony dog attack statute) is 7 years. That sentence went out to Crystal Watson and Jack Wayne Smith after their pit bulls killed a 7-year old boy in 2008. It’s possible that Martin Gilbert Rodriguez will get a sentence over 7-years since he was previously convicted under this felony statute in 2021 for serious bodily injury by dog (not death). Then in February 2024, his dogs did kill a person. Even if the San Antonio couple only gets probation (say 10-years probation), the probation terms typically prohibit dog ownership. Though, stunningly, we recently did see a judge allow the owner of vicious dogs that killed a boy to have a new dog.
18 years for him, 15 years for her. Hallelujah!! May Mr. Najera rest in peace.
Feeling grateful today.