LUBBOCK, Texas — Closing arguments were given on Wednesday, the 22nd of February in the Capital Murder trial of Hollis Alvin Daniels III. He admitted in open court on February 6 that back on October 9, 2017, he shot and killed police officer Floyd East Jr. The jury heard testimony and will decide if Daniels will spend life in prison or be put to death, if at all.
Previous coverage: With his life on the line, Daniels takes the stand in a Lubbock courtroom
East arrested him that day but during his arrest officers missed a stolen gun he had on his person. Daniels used the gun to shoot and kill East inside the police station on the campus of Texas Tech University. Daniels ran off but was captured about 90 minutes later, fortunately,
Prosecutor Baron Slack in closing arguments
In closing arguments, Baron Slack with Lubbock County Criminal District Attorney’s office spoke to the jury.
“You were told in those jury panels that the main distinction is that the state seeks to kill Hollis Daniels. The defense wants to spare his life. It’s not that simple,” Slack said.
“It’s an evidence-based question,” he continued.
Slack asked rhetorically, “What type of evidence would you look at when making a determination? What are you going to look at?”
He played a video Daniels saying, “My mentality at the time is, ‘I had a gun on me. I had Xanax on me.’ My dumb*** just f***ing escalated the situation.”
Slack then characterized the situation this way: “So, it’s you or me. Your future or my future. Your next or last breath. No more embraces with your family.”
Slack said Daniels shot an innocent and good man. It was callous even if East had not been a police officer.
As far as future danger to society, Slack said, “People in the future do not deserve to learn the hard way.”
“No one else deserves to find out what is already known,” Slack said to the jury. “It’s uncomfortable to look at, it’s uncomfortable to think about.”
“It’s not just about a police officer,” Slack said. “[It’s about] a cold-blooded killer; it’s about a lot of people.”
Slack pointed to the testimony about Xanax, but discounted it as a genuine target of blame, instead focusing on Daniels and his choices.
“Yet he demonstrates high level thinking, aware of where he is, who he is talking to, inventive to lie and to hide pills,” Slack urged the jury. “He knew he was going to get arrested. So, can anyone … attribute these behaviours to Xanax?”
“‘F*** cops.’ That’s who he chose to be,” Slack declared. “Then you start to see a change in behavior. A death sentence over his head – starts reading books. Christianity. It’s too little too late.”
