Lawyers paint different picture of fired Balch Springs cop on trial

Attorneys for the former Balch Springs police officer charged with murder for the killing of a 15-year-old want the public to see him differently.

They contend Roy Oliver is more than a former police officer often seen in his mugshot in stories about him since he was fired and first arrested for the killing of Jordan Edwards.

Oliver’s attorneys have said media coverage was pervasive, prejudicial and inflammatory by repeatedly showing images of Oliver at arrest after being out of jail and not reporting on defense team court filings denying certain allegations made by prosecutors.

During Oliver’s change of venue hearing, defense lawyers complained about how media reports portray him.

“Mr. Oliver invariably appears in a jail uniform standing in front of height scales clearly indicating that he's in custody,” said Bob Gill, Oliver’s attorney.

His lawyers have now shared pictures of a different Roy Oliver.

“The defense team is resorting to a tactic to bolster their client’s character, which is smart,” said attorney Anthony Farmer, who is not involved in the case. “They're trying to change the narrative, and it’s good. A defense lawyer has an obligation in the court of public opinion just as much as in the court of law.”

Attorney George Milner is also not involved in the case, but he also has experience with officer-involved shootings and excessive force cases. And while book-in photos may not be flattering, they are part of the record and part of the story.

“That’s all the media has to work with, unless you want to get pictures out. I’ve personally done that,” Milner said. “I’ve given great thought as to how is this looking in the media.”

Judge Brandon Birmingham denied change of venue. But during proceedings, Gill opined media coverage was prejudicial and that certain claims made by prosecutors in court filings about Oliver were not true.

“The media has not reported any of our rebuttal to that,” the defense lawyer said.

They are rebuttals that have only been in court documents because the defense has no interviews with the media.

“If you file something that you want to get attention, you need to call reporters,” Milner said. “They cannot be expected to just sit down at the clerk’s office and wait to see what gets filed.”

Farmer takes it further.

“That is a strategy to avoid tough questions and to avoid potential mistakes but yet to get your message out,” he said.

While a picture may be worth a thousand words, the only picture that will matter is the one jurors will see through trial testimony.

“This case received a lot of publicity, deservingly,” Farmer said. “So I anticipate the nation will be watching.”

Oliver has denied flipping an offense bad hand gesture at the car Edwards was a passenger in after the shooting and passed a polygraph showing he was not part of any race hating groups as a teenager.