Private investigator critical of 'lazy' police; defense rests case in doctor's manslaughter trial

BROWNSVILLE, Texas (ValleyCentral) — A trial for a Valley doctor accused of manslaughter continued into its fifth day.

Ameer Hassan is accused of hitting San Juana Benavides Sanchez with his truck and killing her.

The State accuses Hassan of being on his cell phone and being distracted during the fatal accident. The fifth day of trial continued with defense attorneys calling private investigator Dennis Zamarron to the stand.

Zamarron testified an autospy should have been performed if the crash ended up in a criminal case.

The private investigator has over 30 years of law enforcement experience and was previously employed by the Cameron County District Attorney's Office.

Cameron County does not have a medical examiner, meaning a Justice of the Peace carry the authority to decide whether an autopsy is done.

In this case, an inquest was done to determine the cause of death as accidental.

At the trial, Zamarron was critical of the way Harlingen police conducted their investigation, saying departments and officers are getting lazy.

Prosecutors produced several official reprimands Zamarron received during his time working at the Cameron County DA's Office.

According to prosecutors, Zamarron was disciplined for sending an email described as “borderline sexual harassment.”

Additional reprimands were mentioned including a search of Zamarron's work computer which carried about 100 images of women in various states of being undressed and that he was fired from his position.

Defense attorneys argued Zamarron's employment history had no bearing in his work or relevance on this case.

On Friday afternoon, the defense rested its case. The case will continue Monday morning with jury instructions.