Austin's Finest in Hot Water: Top Brass Scramble as Cop Actually Convicted

Oh boy, Austin Police Chief Lisa Davis and her cronies are in a tizzy! They're having a little urgency meeting to figure out how to stop their cops from getting convicted. Apparently, shooting a mentally ill man with a knife is now a no-no. Who knew, right? Internal Memo says so!

Davis blasted out an email to the whole department, whining, "This decision deeply affects all of us. It is unsettling, and it raises questions that must be addressed by APD leadership. We must ensure that all APD officers feel confident and prepared to encounter unpredictable and dangerous situations."

Because God forbid officers feel unprepared when they're gunning down the mentally ill. She also yapped about making a "strategic plan" and valuing input. Yada yada.

Davis just rocked up from Cincinnati about four weeks ago. She hasn't even been officially sworn in yet, and already she's dealing with this mess. Poor dear. Welcome to Austin, where we actually convict cops for killing people now. Can you believe it?

So, some Travis County jury found Officer Christopher Taylor guilty of deadly conduct in the death of Mauris DeSilva. DeSilva was just your average Sri Lankan researcher and scientist with a history of mental health issues. Cops rolled up to his condo, took the elevator, yelled some commands, and bam! Shot him dead because he had a knife. Details here.

Taylor might get up to 10 years behind bars. Sentencing date isn't set yet, but don't hold your breath for a swift resolution, folks.

Davis signed off her email with some real heartfelt stuff: "Take care of yourself and each other. I know that our department has been through so much in the last several years. As we address (the) verdict, we will do so together."

Aww, group hug, everybody. Because nothing says "togetherness" like a cop getting convicted for killing a mentally ill guy with a knife. Stay classy, Austin.