A man convicted of capital murder in the death of a San Marcos police officer has filed an appeal related to his life sentence, according to the Hays County District Attorney’s Office. Stewart Thomas Mettz was sentenced to life in prison with no possibility of parole for the killing of 58-year-old Kenneth Copeland in 2017. Copeland was the first officer to be killed while on patrol in the history of the San Marcos Police Department.
Mettz has until Jan. 29 to submit a docketing statement, which will serve as a primary source of important information about the appeal and include a challenge to the constitutionality of a state statute form, according to court documents.
The case has been a significant and tragic event for the community, as it marked a devastating loss for the San Marcos Police Department. The appeal raises the possibility of further legal proceedings and continued attention on the details of the original case.
Mettz’s appeal is a significant development in the aftermath of the trial, as it indicates that the legal proceedings related to the case are not yet over. The filing of the appeal sets the stage for potential future court hearings, continuing to keep the details of the case in the public eye and further extending the impact of Copeland’s death on the community and law enforcement.
The appeal is likely to draw continued interest from the public and the law enforcement community, as it points to the ongoing legal process and the potential for further developments related to the case. The community will be watching closely as the appeal unfolds, as it represents the legal aftermath of a tragic event that has had a lasting impact on the San Marcos area.