A woman from Kentucky who shot a director of El Paso Uber and killed and claimed that he was threatening to kidnap her, died almost a month before her murder process.
Phoebe Copas was confronted with a murder process planned for 28 April after the death of Daniel Piedra Garcia, 52, who shot Copas and killed on June 16, 2023.
Copas claimed that Garcia tried to kidnap her and take her to Juárez, Mexico, and that she had acted in self -defense.
According to the former lawyer James Kozik van Copas, would have died on Tuesday 25 March on Tuesday 25 March.
Kozik told ABC 7 that Copas was planned for a judicial date planned on Tuesday and never reached the hearing.
“Phoebe Copas was and remains an innocent woman,” Kozik said in a statement to the outlet.
The test would start after being delayed earlier due to serious medical problems that Copas was confronted. She would have collapsed in December during a hearing in court, reported El Paso Times.
Garcia's niece, Didi Lopez, said that her family processed many emotions after learning the death of Copas.
Phoebe Copas was confronted with a murder attack process planned before 28 April after the death of Daniel Piedra Garcia, 52, who shot Copas and killed on June 16, 2023
The Garcia family hoped for justice in the coming murder process. His niece, Didi Lopez, said that the family has the feeling that there is now no 'responsibility in her death'
'Anger was one of them, also sad, because where is the accountability? I don't feel like it – we don't feel that we have justice, and there is no responsibility in her death, “Lopez said.
Garcia's family previously claimed that he had been wrongly killed and justified for the 'reckless' behavior of Copas.
They said she feared for her life, she had other options before she chose to shoot Garcia, including calling 911.
Kozik stated, in defense of Copas's actions, that she claimed that the ditches and windows of the Uber director's vehicle were not operational and there were razor magazines in the vehicle.
The lawyer also has the police statement as “false and that she never reported that she defended herself because she saw a sign to Juárez.”
“It was disappointing to see that part of our community responds to this case in a way that we as a diverse community should know better,” said Kozik.
“Nobody should look forward to the death of Mr. Piedras or Mrs. Copas. '
Kozik had previously told the El Paso Times that Copas claimed that Garcia had told her about a fair in the Mexican city, and although she said she didn't want to go to the stock exchange, the driver accelerated and ignored her supplications to let out.
The test would start after being delayed due to serious medical problems that COMAS was confronted. She would have collapsed in December during a hearing and previously suffered from heart complications
Garcia's family has described the victim as a hard -working man trying to earn money for his family
“She asked him to stop the vehicle. She tried to open the doors, but the doors were locked up, “he claimed. “She tried to do everything that someone would expect that someone would do for an escalation of violence.”
Copas then brought out her weapon and begged him to just pull the vehicle, “said Kozik.
“He turned around and said:” I'm going to take you with you. We go to Juárez, “and he accelerated the car.”
“She not only focused on the gun and shoots him. That is not what happened, “Kozik told the outlet. “She told him she didn't want to go to Juarez. She tried to escape for a few minutes. She just wanted to get out of the car. She feared for her life. '
At the time of the shooting, the police claimed that Copas shot Garcia because they saw traffic signs say that they approached 'Juarez, Mexico' – although the highway on which he drove also led to the casino who wanted to go there.
After he was shot, the Nissan Maxima Garcia crashed into barriers, of which a statement from the police noticed “Not in the vicinity of a bridge, port of arrival or another area with immediate access to travel to Mexico.”
'The Wegcopas traveled on a normal route to drive to the destination requested by the Copas.
“The investigation does not support that there was a kidnapping or that Piedra was of the destination of Copas,” the police said.
After he was shot, the Nissan Maxima Garcia crashed into barriers, of which a statement from the police noticed 'not in the vicinity of a bridge, the port of entry or another area with immediate access to travel to Mexico'
On June 29, 2023, hearing, the public prosecutor of El Paso County District Attorney Shantal Ortega also claimed that no facts in the case have proven that Copas was abducted.
“Simply because this is a border city and there can be signs that are miles away from part of the entry, it is unreasonable that they would not have encountered that before,” she argued.
District lawyer Bill Hicks even went so far that he claimed that the actions of Copas were 'very unreasonable'.
'El Paso is a safe community. And to let someone respond as she did, I think a misconception emphasizes that El Paso is dangerous, “he said.
“And that is why it is so important that we not only get up for this Uber driver, not only this family, but for our community, to say against El Paso, against the state, to our country that El Paso is a safe community and behavior that reacts in a different way, is not acceptable.”
But Kozik argued that the Claim Copas simply saw a sign for Juarez and Schoten Garcia is 'literally a fabrication of the representation of the police'.
He noted that a review of the camera images of the police and a interrogation of his client show never called them the traffic signs.
Instead, Kozik claimed, it was the first officer who arrived on stage who told another officer about the traffic sign – and from there the story spread to even be included in the police sources.
Lawyer Matthew James Kozik, who represents Copas, spoke about what is said to have happened that day
“She never says she saw a sign of Juarez and then shot him down,” Kozik was full. “She says 'yes' during her interview when he was asked if she saw signs of Juarez, but she also says she saw plates and Fort Bliss said.”
Images of the day of the shooting also see that Copas is crying, praying and asking officers if Garcia was dead while she was in the back of the patrol truck, reports the El Paso Times.
“She comes in the back of the vehicle and says:” Jesus. I'm sorry. Oh god, oh god. Oh Lord. Jesus. Sir is he dead? “Said Kozik. “She repeatedly asks if he's dead.
“Is this a racially motivated attack? It doesn't seem like she reacts and all the evidence in the case. '
The police had also claimed that before she called 911, after the shooting, Copas took a picture of Piedra and to her friend text.
When the police arrived on stage at about 2.20 pm, they thought Copas was helped out of the car by her boyfriend.
But Kozik said Copas took the photo because she called her boyfriend for help, and he thought she was joking first.
The lawyer also noticed that the police found razor blades and a crowbar in the arm of Garcia, which adds credibility to the fears of Copas that she was abducted.
Garcia was eventually found in the driver's seat of the car shot in the head. He was admitted to hospital for a few days before his family had taken him from living after doctors told them he would not recover
Garcia's family previously claimed that he had been wrongly killed and justified for the 'reckless' behavior of Copas. They said she feared for her life, she had other options before she chose to shoot Garcia, including calling 911
'I can't speak for everyone, but everyone I know does not wear razor blades [them] Or near their steering wheel, “Kozik argued. “I have never heard or know anyone who does that.
“Razor Blades and a crowbar … his weapons,” he noticed. 'These are weapons that can be used to commit a crime.
“These are not accusations. These items were found in the car. '
Further supporting claims from Copas, he said, his data from Uber Driver who showed that Garcia took an unusual route to come to the casino.
“All this comes down to show that this was not a normal Uber ride,” he claimed.
Garcia's family has described the victim as a hard -working man trying to earn money for his family. They said they believed that he was working his last ride of the day when he picked up Copas.
He was eventually determined in the driver's seat of the car that had been shot in the head. He was admitted to hospital for a few days before his family decreased from living after doctors had told them that he would not recover.
The test was determined for December and was then pushed to April for the health problems of Copas, including heart failure, kidney complications and unconsciousness.
