HOUSTON — A former garbage truck driver has been found guilty of manslaughter after running over and killing a man in 2020.
Jesse James Clay was charged with murder in the death of Joe Wade Warren after prosecutors said he intentionally ran over Warren. Though charged with murder, a jury was told they could opt for a manslaughter verdict, which they chose to do on Monday.
Clay did not show much emotion as a judge read out the verdict.
After the trial, Clay's attorneys told KHOU 11 they did not agree with the juries decision but they respected it.
"This was a tragic accident, a tragic horrible accident," said attorney Tucker Graves. "We appreciate that the jury did not find Jesse guilty of murder because he definitely did not intend to kill anyone."
In court, the prosecution argued that Clay intentionally killed Warren -- noting that the garbage truck had side mirrors and a working back-up camera.
Clay's sentencing starts Tuesday at 9 a.m. Both his family and Warren's family are expected to testify before a judge decides how much time Clay will serve.
What happened
On April 4, 2020, Joe Wade Warren was outside his home, trying to toss a branch into the back of a passing Texas Pride Disposal garbage truck. He missed and the truck drivers kept going.
Home surveillance video captured Warren yelling profanities at the truck driver. A few seconds later, you see the truck backing up as Warren walks toward it. The truck never stops, eventually running Warren over.
“There’s a brief moment in time where they sit there, and then you see the garbage truck drive right off," the family's lawyer told KHOU 11 in 2020.
The 65-year-old victim died as a result of his injuries.
The driver of the garbage truck was identified as Jesse James Clay. He was charged with murder in Warren's death.
According to Clay's lawyers, he didn't remember anything that happened that day.
"He remembers the individual was yelling and screaming and approaching the vehicle," attorney Tucker Graves said. "He put the vehicle in reverse to stop and see what the guy wanted. Doesn’t remember hitting anything."
Clay's lawyers argued that prosecutors would have a hard time proving intent, despite the backup cameras working inside the truck.
“My understanding is the backup cameras don’t show everything. They don’t show it all," Graves said.
Warren's lawyers argued that Clay's actions were intentional, calling it a brutal murder during closing arguments of the trial.
Warren's family sued Texas Pride Disposal and settled for $10.3 million in 2022.