Pre-Trial Hearing: Miami-Dade Deputy Testifies in Manslaughter Case

Deadly Shootout Pre-Trial Hearing

• 🎯 A pre-trial hearing took place in Broward County for a Miami-Dade deputy accused of manslaughter in a 2019 deadly shootout.
• 💔 The mother of victim Frank Ordonz expressed heartbreak as she listened to testimony from witnesses who saw the gunfire that killed four people, including her son.
• ⚠️ The hearing focused on whether suspended Miami-Dade officer Jose Mateo fired his weapon in self-defense under the stand your ground statute to have his manslaughter charge dismissed.

Witness Testimony and Evidence

• 🎤 Several witnesses testified for the state, including individuals who recorded the incident on their cell phones from inside their vehicles.
• 📹 One witness, Edwin Diaz, was sitting in his car when the hijacked UPS truck stopped, and he recorded moments before the shooting, stating he ducked when the first round was fired.
• 💥 Cell phone video shown in court captured what appeared to be muzzle flashes coming from inside the UPS truck cab.
• 🚗 Another witness, officer Victor Gil, was one of the first to pursue the UPS truck on I-75 and identified the individuals inside.

Impact on Victims and Families

• 😭 Images shown in court, some seen by the victim's family for the first time, were described as heartbreaking.
• 👧 One witness's vehicle was hit twice, with a bullet piercing his 5-year-old daughter's car seat, though she was not present at the time.
• ⚖️ The judge adjourned for the evening, with testimony set to continue after the holiday weekend, impacting when the manslaughter trial might be scheduled.