SAN ANTONIO – A judge set a trial date Wednesday for a former San Antonio Police Department officer charged in the shooting of a teenager in a McDonald’s parking lot.
James Brennand is scheduled to stand trial on Nov. 12 on a charge of deadly conduct with a firearm in connection with the shooting of Erik Cantu.
Brennand was on duty the night of Oct. 2, 2022, when he recognized a car from an evading arrest case the previous day.
Body cam video shows Brennand opening the door of the car Cantu was driving, and just seconds later the officer fires multiple shots as the teen attempted to back up and drive away.
Brennand was fired from SAPD less than a week after the shooting for violating departmental tactics and procedures.
His lawyers tried to get the case tried outside of Bexar County, but 437th District Court Judge Joel Perez denied the defense’s motion for a change of venue.
The prosecution is requesting Brennand’s psychological evaluation, but the City of San Antonio is arguing that it’s off-limits because it’s part of the former officer’s personnel file.
Perez is expected to rule on that issue.