LUBBOCK, Texas — The sentencing of Hollis Daniels continued as the state continued to push for the death penalty. On Monday, Jurors got to hear from a victim who was robbed at gunpoint by Daniels and heart-breaking testimony from Officer Floyd East’s wife.
The victim was nervous and soft spoken when he took the stand. He was a Texas Tech student at the time and recalled getting a text a day before the shooting from an unknown number who he would soon learn to be Hollis Daniels.
Daniels reached out to him for 200 bars of Xanax worth up to four hundred dollars. He met Daniels in his car for the exchange and that’s when Daniels pulled out the stolen gun, held it to the victim’s head and said, “Give it to me.” The victim gave him the Xanax and was then allowed to leave.
Later on, before finally resting, the state called their final witness to the stand. Officer East’s wife, Carmen East. She gave a powerful testimony to jurors about her last conversation with her husband. Officer East told her, “I wish you goodnight and I love you, I’ll let you know when I’m on the road.”
Later that night she would get a call asking if she’s heard from East, they told her there was an officer down and no one has heard from him, but just a few minutes later she would learn that her husband was shot and killed.
The state has rested and so far, the defense has called a now retired part time advisor, a title nine coordinator with the university, and another one of his former roommates. The jury will decide whether to sentence him to death or life in prison and Daniels was still expected to eventually take the stand.
