Texas Rangers' Investigation of Prairieland Shooting Under Scrutiny Over Undocumented Evidence
During the Prairieland trial, where activist Benjamin Song was convicted of attempted murder, evidence emerged suggesting that the Texas Rangers, an elite unit within the state’s Department of Public Safety, failed to adequately document crucial evidence. Specifically, bullet strikes on the concrete surface at the scene of the shooting were only revealed during the second week of the trial. Texas Ranger Billy James Hill Jr., who was responsible for photographing the scene, admitted under cross-examination to finding 'recent looking defects in the concrete surface' but stated that taking photos of these bullet strikes 'wasn’t part of my responsibility.' This omission became a point of contention for the defense, which argued that the bullet ricocheted, suggesting Song did not intend to directly shoot the officer. Multiple agencies, including the Alvarado Police Department, Johnson County Sheriff’s Office, Department of Homeland Security, ATF, and FBI, were present at the scene.
